ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

August 18th

1966 - Manfred Mann

Paul Jones left Manfred Mann just as ‘Pretty Flamingo’ was climbing the US charts. He was replaced by singer Mike D’Abo, who would take over lead vocals on the bands next hit, ‘The Mighty Quinn,’ a song written by Bob Dylan. 

1969 - Mick Jagger

Mick Jagger was accidentally shot in the hand during filming of Ned Kelly in Australia. The film was dogged by problems: Jagger's girlfriend of the time, Marianne Faithfull, had gone to Australia to play the lead female role (Ned's sister, Maggie), but the Jagger-Faithfull relationship was breaking up, and she took an overdose of sleeping tablets soon after arrival in Sydney resulting in being hospitalised in a coma and pulling out of the film.

1977 - Elvis Presley

Two Missouri girls were killed and a third was critically injured when a car being driven by an 18-year-old Memphis teen swerved into a crowd of over 2,000 mourners standing in front of Graceland's music gate at about 4am. The driver was charged with drunk driving, leaving the scene of an accident and two counts of second degree murder.

1977 - The Police

The Police made their live debut as a three-piece band when they played at Rebecca's Birmingham, England. The Police became globally popular in the late 1970s and are generally regarded as one of the first New Wave groups to achieve mainstream success, playing a style of rock that was influenced by punk, reggae, and jazz.

Police sing their first classic single 'Sue Lawley'!

1979 - Nick Lowe

British singer, songwriter, producer Nick Lowe married Johnny Cash's stepdaughter Carlene Carter in Los Angeles. The couple are now divorced.

Lowe Carter clan conjoined!

Carlene and Dave Edmunds

Carlene Carter! Golly Gee!

Nick walks off alone though . . . . 

1982 - The Beatles street names

The City of Liverpool named four Streets after the fab four: John Lennon Drive, Paul McCartney Way, George Harrison Close and Ringo Starr Drive.

1983 - The Police, R.E.M. Joan Jett

The Police plus Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and R.E.M. (their biggest gig to date) all appeared at Shea Stadium, New York City. strange but no mention on the posters and publicity of R.E.M. 

1991 - Rick Griffin

Rick Griffin, died after being forced off the road by a van he was attempting to pass on his Harley Heritage Softail motorbike. One of his best known album covers was for the Grateful Dead's 'Aoxomoa' LP, and the legendary "Flying Eyeball" poster he designed for a series of concerts in San Francisco featuring the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Albert King and John Mayall.

I loved Rick Griffin and all the West Coast illustrators and indeed the British ones also (Hapsash and The Coloured Coat and The Fool especially)

Rick's signature style so aptly suited to the Grateful Dead

Rick's early beginnings as an easel painter

1992 - Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain became a father when his wife Courtney Love gave birth to a daughter, Frances Bean Cobain.

2005 - Kanye West

Kanye West called for an end to homophobia in the hip-hop community during an MTV interview saying ‘hip-hop was always about speaking your mind and about breaking down barriers, but everyone in hip-hop discriminates against gay people. Not just hip-hop, but America just discriminates, I wanna just, to come on TV and just tell my rappers, just tell my friends, 'Yo, stop it'." So he actually did do good things too! Who knew? Not me!

2006 - Justin Hawkins

Justin Hawkins the lead singer of The Darkness checked himself into the Priory rehabilitation clinic suffering from exhaustion after three years of non-stop work.

2006 - Pete Doherty

'Babyshambles' front man Pete Doherty appeared at Thames Magistrates court in London to face seven charges of drug possession.

2010 - Sex Pistols release their own smell!

French beauty brand Etat Libre D'Orange announced that they have teamed up with the Sex Pistols to bottle the scent of the Punk era by launching the band's first fragrance. Company executives said "to wear this scent, you must resist tradition, fight conformity, and disregard aromatic conventions."

2012 - Scott McKenzie

American singer and songwrite Scott McKenzie died aged 73. He was best known for his 1967 hit single and generational anthem, 'San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)'. He also joined a new version of The Mamas & the Papas and co-wrote "Kokomo" (1988), a No.1 single for The Beach Boys.

2014 - Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran's album X notched up eight weeks at No.1 on the UK chart, becoming the joint longest chart-topper by a male solo artist. The last man to achieve the feat was James Blunt for his 2005 collection Back to Bedlam.

BIRTHDAYS

1956 - Tony Garnier

Born on this day Tony Garnier American bassist, best known as an accompanist to Bob Dylan, with whom he has played since 1989. He is Dylan's longest-running sideman and was also a long-time sideman for David Johansen in his Buster Poindexter persona, and was also briefly a member of the Saturday Night Live house band.

Bob Dylan's longest serving sideman, like the Queen has two birthdays. His actual date of birth is said to be 10th May 1956, but his official birthday is recorded as 18th August after Dylan jokingly wished him a happy birthday at a concert on this date. Tony's first gig with Dylan was 3rd June 1989 in Dublin, he was officially installed as Bob's bass player five days later. With over 30 years service - more than half of Dylan's career - it's probably safe to say that the only person to have been present at more Dylan shows than Garnier is Bob himself. Happy false birthday Tony.

1949 - Nigel Griggs

Nigel Griggs bassist from New Zealand group Split Enz who had the 1980 UK No.12 single 'I Got You'. Split Enz had ten albums (including seven studio albums) reach the top ten of the Official New Zealand Music Chart.

1944 - Carl Wayne

 Colin David Tooley was born on this day in 1943. He was better known as Carl Wayne, and best known as the lead singer for The Move (and for pulling out a chainsaw during live shows) who had the 1969 UK No.1 single 'Blackberry Way' and hits with 'I Can Hear The Grass Grow', 'Flowers in the Rain' and 'Fire Brigade'. Wayne died of cancer on 31st Aug 2004.