Achtung Baby Covers Album to Benefit Concern Worldwide's Emergency Famine Work in East Africa
Album Featuring Nine Inch Nails, Patti Smith, Depeche Mode, Jack White, The Killers and More Available for Download Exclusively on iTunes
NEW YORK , Nov. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- (Ahk-toong Bay-Bi) Covered, the unique covers album of U2's Achtung Baby featuring Nine Inch Nails, Patti Smith, Depeche Mode, Jack White, The Killers and others, is available for download worldwide starting today exclusively on the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com), with all proceeds to benefit Concern Worldwide's work in famine-stricken areas of East Africa. The album will be available on iTunes in the UK on November 28th.
With the support of iTunes, the Independent Online Distribution Alliance (IODA) and all of the participating artists, managers & labels, all proceeds from the sale of (Ahk-toong Bay-Bi) Covered, will support Concern's response to the East Africa crisis, where thousands of children have already died of hunger or related diseases and over 10 million people remain at risk.
"This crisis in East Africa is still very much an emergency and Concern is delighted that all of the parties involved are making this hugely significant contribution to our work in the region," said Concern CEO, Tom Arnold. "We are honored they have chosen Concern as the exclusive beneficiaries."
Mr. Arnold added: "It is disappointing that such a major ongoing humanitarian situation has largely disappeared from the media headlines. Offering the proceeds from (Ahk-toong Bay-Bi) Covered to Concern's East Africa appeal also provides a timely reminder that alleviation of the hunger and wider health crisis in the region must not be forgotten and should remain a global priority."
With over 25 years' experience in East Africa, Concern has strong links with local communities and local partners, thereby increasing the agency's effectiveness and impact in getting help and assistance to those that need it most. The agency began responding to the needs of the current emergency since its onset in late 2010 and is currently reaching 680,000 people with clean water, food and nutritional care.
(Ahk-toong Bay-Bi) Covered, conceived for Q Magazine to mark their 25th Anniversary issue, and coinciding with the 20th Anniversary re-release of Achtung Baby, is available with Q Magazine's December 2011 issue featuring U2 on the cover.
The full track listing of (Ahk-toong Bay-Bi) Covered is:
Nine Inch Nails – Zoo Station
U2 (Jacques Lu Cont Mix) – Even Better Than The Real Thing
Damien Rice – One
Patti Smith – Until The End Of The World
Garbage – Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
Depeche Mode – So Cruel
Snow Patrol – Mysterious Ways
The Fray – Trying To Throw Your Arms Around The World
Gavin Friday – The Fly
The Killers – Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
Glasvegas – Acrobat
Jack White – Love Is Blindness
=============
Willie Nelson's Remember Me, Vol. 1 Bows November 21
R&J Records Release Features 14 Songs, A-List Players
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Elegant and enduring endeavors are often the simplest, and so it is with Remember Me, Vol. 1 as one of America's most revered country music icons sings a collection of the genre's most definitive songs. Willie Nelson hand-picked the collection's 14 songs from among the top Billboard hits of the last 70 years.
Artists and songwriters reflected in Nelson's versions of their songs include Ernest Tubb, Johnny Cash, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, Rosemary Clooney, Porter Wagoner and Ray Price. The first volume, out November. 21, is drawn from Nelson's sessions with longtime friend and producer James Stroud, which yielded more than 30 songs. Remember Me, Vol. 2 is scheduled to be released next year.
In addition to Nelson's incomparable vocal stylings, each track benefits from the work of Nashville's top musicians in a band that features Eddie Bayers (drums), David Hungate (bass), Brent Mason (electric guitar), Biff Watson (acoustic guitar), Mickey Raphael (harmonica), Sonny Garrish (steel guitar), John Hobbs (piano/keyboards), Aubrey Haynie (fiddle/mandolin) and Wes Hightower and Cindy Walker (background vocals). Jerry Puckett and Chris Collins also guest on the sessions.
Remember Me, Vol. 1 track list, with each song's hit-making artist, year and peak Billboard position in parentheses:
1. Remember Me (Ernest Tubb, 1950, No. 5 Country)
2. Sixteen Tons (Tennessee Ernie Ford, 1955, No. 1 Country & Pop)
3. Why Baby Why (George Jones, 1955, No. 4 Country)
4. Today I Started Loving You Again (Merle Haggard, 1970)
5. I'm Movin' On (Hank Snow, 1950, No. 1 Country)
6. That Just About Does It (Vern Gosdin, 1989, No. 4 Country)
7. This Old House (Rosemary Clooney, 1954, No. 1 Pop)
8. Sunday Morning Coming Down (Johnny Cash, 1970, No. 1 Country)
9. Smoke That Cigarette (Tex Williams, 1947, No. 1 Country)
10. Slowly (Webb Pierce, 1954, No. 1 Country)
11. A Satisfied Mind (Porter Wagoner, 1955, No. 1 Country)
12. Roly Poly (Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys, 1946, No. 3 Country)
13. Release Me (Ray Price, 1954, No. 6 Country)
14. Ramblin' Fever (Merle Haggard, 1977, No. 2 Country)
*15. More And More (Webb Pierce, 1954, No. 1 Country) *iTunes exclusive
=============
The Twilight Sad New Album Details
The Twilight Sad are set to release their third album, 'No One Can Ever Know,' early next year. Produced by Andrew Weatherall (Primal Scream, Two Lone Swordsmen, Fuck Buttons), the new LP had the band in London for a month, working with vintage analog synths, and attempting to emulate the production styles of Factory Records’ Martin Hannett and Cluster‘s Conny Plank. As guitarist Andy MacFarlane explains in a press release, “We wanted to be a lot more spontaneous, get outside our comfort zone – not to fall back into repeating what we’ve done previously.” The change in scenery shifted the band “toward a sparser sound, with a colder, slightly militant feel.”
'No One Can Ever Know' hits stores February 7th via FatCat Records.
Tracklist:
1. Alphabet
2. Dead City
3. Sick
4. Don’t Move
5. Nil
6. Don’t Look At Me
7. Not Sleeping
8. Another Bed
9. Kill It In The Morning
=============
CAN – TAGO MAGO 40th ANNIVERSARY 2CD EDITION OUT NOV. 15TH
DELUXE VINYL BOX SET & UNRELEASED LOST TAPES BOX SET DETAILS FOR 2012
Spoon Records and Mute are happy to release the 40th anniversary edition of the classic Can album Tago Mago today, November 15, 2011.
The new edition of this genre-defying album comes packaged in the original UK artwork for the first time since 1971, and includes a bonus CD featuring 50 minutes of unreleased live material from 1972, remastered in 2011.
Tago Mago, the first album with Damo Suzuki on vocals, features the Can line up of Holger Czukay on bass, Michael Karoli on guitars, Jaki Liebezeit on drums and Irmin Schmidt on keyboards, and was recorded at Schloss Nörvenich in 1971, released later that year on United Artists.
Can’s influence is well known and far-reaching and the impact they made on music is felt today as keenly as it ever has been. They themselves have always been impossible to classify and reflecting this, the scope of artists who in recent years have cited Can as a major influence is varied. Of all the band’s oeuvre, Tago Mago has been most often cited as an influence for a host of artists including John Lydon, Radiohead, The Fall, Ariel Pink, F*ck Buttons, Sonic Youth, Factory Floor and Queens Of The Stone Age. Just last week Geoff Barrow (Portishead) mentioned Can as his favorite and most inspiring band ever (The Quietus).
Listen to ‘Bring Me Coffee Or Tea’, as featured on the OST for the 2010 film adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s novel Norwegian Wood here:
soundcloud.com/muterecords
All 14 of Can’s studio albums have been newly cut to vinyl from the remastered tapes for release as a vinyl deluxe box set in early 2012. This will include CDs of all the albums, extensive booklets, an exclusive never released live album (vinyl only) and a newly remastered "Out Of Reach" previously unavailable! The vinyl deluxe box set will be available for pre-order at the beginning of October 2011.
The long awaited box set, The Lost Tapes, will be released in March 2012. Curated by Irmin Schmidt and Daniel Miller, and edited and compiled by Jono Podmore, this will include unreleased studio, soundtrack and live material.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Michael Karoli's death on the November 17 2011, Spoon Records will offer a Best Of Michael Karoli Edit for free download on their site www.spoonrecords.com
Can was formed by ex-student of Stockhausen Irmin Schmidt, who, fired by the sounds of Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa abandoned his career in classic music to form a group which could utilise and transcend all boundaries of ethnic, electronic experimental and modern classical music.
TAGO MAGO – 40th ANNIVERSARY EDITION – TRACKLISTING
CD1
Paperhouse (07:29)
Mushroom (04:04)
Oh Yeah (07:23)
Halleluwah (18:33)
Aumgn (17:37)
Peking O (11:38)
Bring Me Coffee Or Tea (06:47)
CD2
Mushroom (Live 1972) (08:42)
Spoon (Live 1972) (29:55)
Halleluwah (Live 1972) (09:12)
www.spoonrecords.com / www.twitter.com/muteusa
=============
Vinyl Record Talk Show - Live - Today, Tuesday November 15th 8pm ET / 5pm PT on Radio Dentata
One more time live. Probably. If you don't hear from us send lawyers, guns and money.
Find out 5pm ET / 8pm PT on Vinyl Record Talk
=============
and in music history for november 15th:
In 1956, Elvis Presley makes his acting debut as the movie Love Me Tender premieres. Despite critical reaction, it takes in nearly $4 million in just two months.
In 1959, Johnny and The Moondogs, consisting of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, appear in the final round of Britain's TV Star Search at The Hippodrome Theatre, Manchester, where they perform "Think It Over" and "It's So Easy". Judging was done by the volume of applause each group received at the end of the night. Unfortunately, the Moondogs didn't have enough money to stay overnight and were forced to head back to Liverpool before they were called back to stage.
In 1965, the Rolling Stones made their US television debut on Hullabaloo, performing “Get Off of My Cloud.”
In 1966, the Doors officially signed with Elektra Records in a deal for the band to produce seven albums. The band also reluctantly agreed to release “Break on Through” as their first single. The lyric “She gets high/she gets high/she gets high” was changed to “She gets/she gets/she gets” in order to secure radio play.
In 1969, Janis Joplin was arrested at her concert in Tampa, Florida and charged with using "vulgar and indecent language." The incident began when a policeman with a bullhorn ordered people in the audience to sit down and Joplin responded, "Don't fuck with those people! Hey, Mister, what're you so uptight about? Did you buy a five dollar ticket?" When police backstage instructed Joplin to tell the audience to take their seats, she replied, "I'm not telling them shit." After being arrested in her dressing room, Joplin was released on bond and all charges were eventually dropped.
Also in 1969, the first album by Karen and Richard Carpenter, "Offering" was released by A&M Records. It would not be a big seller, but a single from the LP, a remake of The Beatles "Ticket to Ride", would gain national attention. Their next album, "Close to You" would establish them as major international stars.
In 1971, Grand Funk Railroad release their sixth album, 'E Pluribus Funk.' Music critics bash it, but fans think otherwise and buy enough copies to push it to number five on the Billboard Hot 200 chart. The title of the LP is a play on the former motto of the US government, E Pluribus Unum.
In 1978, the Bee Gees, Peter Frampton and Billy Preston make their acting debuts as their movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band opens. The film proves to be a box office disaster, with most major movie critics bashing it.
Also in 1978, Echo & the Bunnymen made their performance debut in Liverpool, England.
In 1980, Blondie had their fifth UK #1 single and third #1 of the year with “The Tide is High” a song written by reggae star John Holt. It was also a #1 in the US.
In 1987, Dire Straits became the first artist to sell more than 3 million copies of an album in the U.K. Brothers in Arms contained five Top 40 singles: “Money for Nothing,” “So Far Away,” “Walk of Life,” “Brothers in Arms” and “Your Latest Trick.”
In 1991, French music producer and songwriter Jacques Morali died of complications from AIDS. He formed The Village People and co-produced their film, Can’t Stop the Music. Between 1974 and 1982 Morali produced over 65 albums.
In 1992, Ozzy Osbourne performs what he said would be his last concert, in Costa Mesa. The show turns into a Black Sabbath reunion when former band mates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward join him on stage. As we all know, Ozzy has returned to performing.
In 2000, the man who attacked George Harrison in December, 1999, was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Michael Abram, a paranoid schizophrenic, was sent to a psychiatric hospital for an indefinite period and was released on November 8th, 2011.
In 2007, Jay-Z went to #1 on the US album chart with 'American Gangster,' his 10th #1 album. This made the rapper tied with Elvis Presley for the second most #1 albums on the chart. Only The Beatles have had more, with 19.
birthdays today include (among others): C.W. McCall (born Bill Fries) (83), Petula Clark (79), Frida Lyngstad (ABBA) (66), Steve Fossen (Heart) (62) and Chad Kroeger (Nickelback) (37)
Album Featuring Nine Inch Nails, Patti Smith, Depeche Mode, Jack White, The Killers and More Available for Download Exclusively on iTunes
NEW YORK , Nov. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- (Ahk-toong Bay-Bi) Covered, the unique covers album of U2's Achtung Baby featuring Nine Inch Nails, Patti Smith, Depeche Mode, Jack White, The Killers and others, is available for download worldwide starting today exclusively on the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com), with all proceeds to benefit Concern Worldwide's work in famine-stricken areas of East Africa. The album will be available on iTunes in the UK on November 28th.
With the support of iTunes, the Independent Online Distribution Alliance (IODA) and all of the participating artists, managers & labels, all proceeds from the sale of (Ahk-toong Bay-Bi) Covered, will support Concern's response to the East Africa crisis, where thousands of children have already died of hunger or related diseases and over 10 million people remain at risk.
"This crisis in East Africa is still very much an emergency and Concern is delighted that all of the parties involved are making this hugely significant contribution to our work in the region," said Concern CEO, Tom Arnold. "We are honored they have chosen Concern as the exclusive beneficiaries."
Mr. Arnold added: "It is disappointing that such a major ongoing humanitarian situation has largely disappeared from the media headlines. Offering the proceeds from (Ahk-toong Bay-Bi) Covered to Concern's East Africa appeal also provides a timely reminder that alleviation of the hunger and wider health crisis in the region must not be forgotten and should remain a global priority."
With over 25 years' experience in East Africa, Concern has strong links with local communities and local partners, thereby increasing the agency's effectiveness and impact in getting help and assistance to those that need it most. The agency began responding to the needs of the current emergency since its onset in late 2010 and is currently reaching 680,000 people with clean water, food and nutritional care.
(Ahk-toong Bay-Bi) Covered, conceived for Q Magazine to mark their 25th Anniversary issue, and coinciding with the 20th Anniversary re-release of Achtung Baby, is available with Q Magazine's December 2011 issue featuring U2 on the cover.
The full track listing of (Ahk-toong Bay-Bi) Covered is:
Nine Inch Nails – Zoo Station
U2 (Jacques Lu Cont Mix) – Even Better Than The Real Thing
Damien Rice – One
Patti Smith – Until The End Of The World
Garbage – Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
Depeche Mode – So Cruel
Snow Patrol – Mysterious Ways
The Fray – Trying To Throw Your Arms Around The World
Gavin Friday – The Fly
The Killers – Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
Glasvegas – Acrobat
Jack White – Love Is Blindness
=============
Willie Nelson's Remember Me, Vol. 1 Bows November 21
R&J Records Release Features 14 Songs, A-List Players
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Elegant and enduring endeavors are often the simplest, and so it is with Remember Me, Vol. 1 as one of America's most revered country music icons sings a collection of the genre's most definitive songs. Willie Nelson hand-picked the collection's 14 songs from among the top Billboard hits of the last 70 years.
Artists and songwriters reflected in Nelson's versions of their songs include Ernest Tubb, Johnny Cash, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, Rosemary Clooney, Porter Wagoner and Ray Price. The first volume, out November. 21, is drawn from Nelson's sessions with longtime friend and producer James Stroud, which yielded more than 30 songs. Remember Me, Vol. 2 is scheduled to be released next year.
In addition to Nelson's incomparable vocal stylings, each track benefits from the work of Nashville's top musicians in a band that features Eddie Bayers (drums), David Hungate (bass), Brent Mason (electric guitar), Biff Watson (acoustic guitar), Mickey Raphael (harmonica), Sonny Garrish (steel guitar), John Hobbs (piano/keyboards), Aubrey Haynie (fiddle/mandolin) and Wes Hightower and Cindy Walker (background vocals). Jerry Puckett and Chris Collins also guest on the sessions.
Remember Me, Vol. 1 track list, with each song's hit-making artist, year and peak Billboard position in parentheses:
1. Remember Me (Ernest Tubb, 1950, No. 5 Country)
2. Sixteen Tons (Tennessee Ernie Ford, 1955, No. 1 Country & Pop)
3. Why Baby Why (George Jones, 1955, No. 4 Country)
4. Today I Started Loving You Again (Merle Haggard, 1970)
5. I'm Movin' On (Hank Snow, 1950, No. 1 Country)
6. That Just About Does It (Vern Gosdin, 1989, No. 4 Country)
7. This Old House (Rosemary Clooney, 1954, No. 1 Pop)
8. Sunday Morning Coming Down (Johnny Cash, 1970, No. 1 Country)
9. Smoke That Cigarette (Tex Williams, 1947, No. 1 Country)
10. Slowly (Webb Pierce, 1954, No. 1 Country)
11. A Satisfied Mind (Porter Wagoner, 1955, No. 1 Country)
12. Roly Poly (Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys, 1946, No. 3 Country)
13. Release Me (Ray Price, 1954, No. 6 Country)
14. Ramblin' Fever (Merle Haggard, 1977, No. 2 Country)
*15. More And More (Webb Pierce, 1954, No. 1 Country) *iTunes exclusive
=============
The Twilight Sad New Album Details
The Twilight Sad are set to release their third album, 'No One Can Ever Know,' early next year. Produced by Andrew Weatherall (Primal Scream, Two Lone Swordsmen, Fuck Buttons), the new LP had the band in London for a month, working with vintage analog synths, and attempting to emulate the production styles of Factory Records’ Martin Hannett and Cluster‘s Conny Plank. As guitarist Andy MacFarlane explains in a press release, “We wanted to be a lot more spontaneous, get outside our comfort zone – not to fall back into repeating what we’ve done previously.” The change in scenery shifted the band “toward a sparser sound, with a colder, slightly militant feel.”'No One Can Ever Know' hits stores February 7th via FatCat Records.
Tracklist:
1. Alphabet
2. Dead City
3. Sick
4. Don’t Move
5. Nil
6. Don’t Look At Me
7. Not Sleeping
8. Another Bed
9. Kill It In The Morning
=============
CAN – TAGO MAGO 40th ANNIVERSARY 2CD EDITION OUT NOV. 15TH
DELUXE VINYL BOX SET & UNRELEASED LOST TAPES BOX SET DETAILS FOR 2012
Spoon Records and Mute are happy to release the 40th anniversary edition of the classic Can album Tago Mago today, November 15, 2011.The new edition of this genre-defying album comes packaged in the original UK artwork for the first time since 1971, and includes a bonus CD featuring 50 minutes of unreleased live material from 1972, remastered in 2011.
Tago Mago, the first album with Damo Suzuki on vocals, features the Can line up of Holger Czukay on bass, Michael Karoli on guitars, Jaki Liebezeit on drums and Irmin Schmidt on keyboards, and was recorded at Schloss Nörvenich in 1971, released later that year on United Artists.
Can’s influence is well known and far-reaching and the impact they made on music is felt today as keenly as it ever has been. They themselves have always been impossible to classify and reflecting this, the scope of artists who in recent years have cited Can as a major influence is varied. Of all the band’s oeuvre, Tago Mago has been most often cited as an influence for a host of artists including John Lydon, Radiohead, The Fall, Ariel Pink, F*ck Buttons, Sonic Youth, Factory Floor and Queens Of The Stone Age. Just last week Geoff Barrow (Portishead) mentioned Can as his favorite and most inspiring band ever (The Quietus).
Listen to ‘Bring Me Coffee Or Tea’, as featured on the OST for the 2010 film adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s novel Norwegian Wood here:
soundcloud.com/muterecords
All 14 of Can’s studio albums have been newly cut to vinyl from the remastered tapes for release as a vinyl deluxe box set in early 2012. This will include CDs of all the albums, extensive booklets, an exclusive never released live album (vinyl only) and a newly remastered "Out Of Reach" previously unavailable! The vinyl deluxe box set will be available for pre-order at the beginning of October 2011.
The long awaited box set, The Lost Tapes, will be released in March 2012. Curated by Irmin Schmidt and Daniel Miller, and edited and compiled by Jono Podmore, this will include unreleased studio, soundtrack and live material.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Michael Karoli's death on the November 17 2011, Spoon Records will offer a Best Of Michael Karoli Edit for free download on their site www.spoonrecords.com
Can was formed by ex-student of Stockhausen Irmin Schmidt, who, fired by the sounds of Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa abandoned his career in classic music to form a group which could utilise and transcend all boundaries of ethnic, electronic experimental and modern classical music.
TAGO MAGO – 40th ANNIVERSARY EDITION – TRACKLISTING
CD1
Paperhouse (07:29)
Mushroom (04:04)
Oh Yeah (07:23)
Halleluwah (18:33)
Aumgn (17:37)
Peking O (11:38)
Bring Me Coffee Or Tea (06:47)
CD2
Mushroom (Live 1972) (08:42)
Spoon (Live 1972) (29:55)
Halleluwah (Live 1972) (09:12)
www.spoonrecords.com / www.twitter.com/muteusa
=============
Vinyl Record Talk Show - Live - Today, Tuesday November 15th 8pm ET / 5pm PT on Radio Dentata
Find out 5pm ET / 8pm PT on Vinyl Record Talk
=============
and in music history for november 15th:
In 1956, Elvis Presley makes his acting debut as the movie Love Me Tender premieres. Despite critical reaction, it takes in nearly $4 million in just two months.In 1959, Johnny and The Moondogs, consisting of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, appear in the final round of Britain's TV Star Search at The Hippodrome Theatre, Manchester, where they perform "Think It Over" and "It's So Easy". Judging was done by the volume of applause each group received at the end of the night. Unfortunately, the Moondogs didn't have enough money to stay overnight and were forced to head back to Liverpool before they were called back to stage.
In 1965, the Rolling Stones made their US television debut on Hullabaloo, performing “Get Off of My Cloud.”
In 1966, the Doors officially signed with Elektra Records in a deal for the band to produce seven albums. The band also reluctantly agreed to release “Break on Through” as their first single. The lyric “She gets high/she gets high/she gets high” was changed to “She gets/she gets/she gets” in order to secure radio play.
In 1969, Janis Joplin was arrested at her concert in Tampa, Florida and charged with using "vulgar and indecent language." The incident began when a policeman with a bullhorn ordered people in the audience to sit down and Joplin responded, "Don't fuck with those people! Hey, Mister, what're you so uptight about? Did you buy a five dollar ticket?" When police backstage instructed Joplin to tell the audience to take their seats, she replied, "I'm not telling them shit." After being arrested in her dressing room, Joplin was released on bond and all charges were eventually dropped.
Also in 1969, the first album by Karen and Richard Carpenter, "Offering" was released by A&M Records. It would not be a big seller, but a single from the LP, a remake of The Beatles "Ticket to Ride", would gain national attention. Their next album, "Close to You" would establish them as major international stars.
In 1971, Grand Funk Railroad release their sixth album, 'E Pluribus Funk.' Music critics bash it, but fans think otherwise and buy enough copies to push it to number five on the Billboard Hot 200 chart. The title of the LP is a play on the former motto of the US government, E Pluribus Unum.In 1978, the Bee Gees, Peter Frampton and Billy Preston make their acting debuts as their movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band opens. The film proves to be a box office disaster, with most major movie critics bashing it.
Also in 1978, Echo & the Bunnymen made their performance debut in Liverpool, England.
In 1980, Blondie had their fifth UK #1 single and third #1 of the year with “The Tide is High” a song written by reggae star John Holt. It was also a #1 in the US.
In 1987, Dire Straits became the first artist to sell more than 3 million copies of an album in the U.K. Brothers in Arms contained five Top 40 singles: “Money for Nothing,” “So Far Away,” “Walk of Life,” “Brothers in Arms” and “Your Latest Trick.”
In 1991, French music producer and songwriter Jacques Morali died of complications from AIDS. He formed The Village People and co-produced their film, Can’t Stop the Music. Between 1974 and 1982 Morali produced over 65 albums.
In 1992, Ozzy Osbourne performs what he said would be his last concert, in Costa Mesa. The show turns into a Black Sabbath reunion when former band mates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward join him on stage. As we all know, Ozzy has returned to performing.
In 2000, the man who attacked George Harrison in December, 1999, was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Michael Abram, a paranoid schizophrenic, was sent to a psychiatric hospital for an indefinite period and was released on November 8th, 2011.
In 2007, Jay-Z went to #1 on the US album chart with 'American Gangster,' his 10th #1 album. This made the rapper tied with Elvis Presley for the second most #1 albums on the chart. Only The Beatles have had more, with 19.
birthdays today include (among others): C.W. McCall (born Bill Fries) (83), Petula Clark (79), Frida Lyngstad (ABBA) (66), Steve Fossen (Heart) (62) and Chad Kroeger (Nickelback) (37)
