portrait of this blog's author - by Stephen Blackman 2008

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

September 10th

1962 - Bobby Pickett's "Monster Mash"
The BBC banned Bobby 'Boris' Pickett and the Crypt Kickers single 'Monster Mash' saying it was offensive (sic?) deeming it “too morbid,” and thus banning it for 11 years although released the ban then it it had a second go where it went on to be a UK No.3 hit in 1973.


1963 - Lennon & McCartney
During a chance meeting between The Rolling Stones at Studio 51 Jazz Club in London with Paul McCartney and John Lennon, the two played the Stones a partly finished song 'I Wanna Be Your Man' which the Stones later record.




1963 - The Beatles



The Daily Mirror published a two-page article about The Beatles. Written by Donald Zec, the feature is entitled ‘Four Frenzied Little Lord Fauntleroys Who Are Earning 5,000 Pounds A Week’ Zec, who had attended a Beatles concert in Luton on Sept. 6 and then invited them to his home to complete the interview, referred to The Beatles' haircuts as ‘A stone-age hair style’. The article provided a major boost to their career.

1964 - Jimmy Page
The Kinks third single 'You Really Got Me', was at No.1 on the UK singles chart. Future Led Zeppelin founder and guitarist Jimmy Page played tambourine on the track. 
bought when it came out and still have the single somewhere in the vaults down past the dungeon and turn left at the Ha-ha


1964 - Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart recorded his first single, a version of Willie Dixon's 'Good Morning Little School Girl.' Future Led Zeppelin bass player John Paul Jones played on the session.
a blues standard classic covered by many British bands of the time and is it me who funds this sits somewhat unfomartably now? When one was a schoolboy it made sense, as a grown man who should know better it now just sounds 'creepy'


1965 - The Byrds
The Byrds begin recording ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!’. Unlike their first hit, ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’, members of the group itself were permitted to play instead of session musicians where many of the Wrecking Crew (Leon Russell +)  had played on it in the studio. If you hear it now it seems astonishing that there must have been some kind of conversation that said they couldn't play well enough to cover the Dylan classic! It is said playing on it are Byrds Roger McGuinn on vocals and guitar (what would become his signature 12 string Rickenbacker) Dave Crosby and Gene Clark on backing harmony vocals
but also Wrecking Crew members 
Leon Russell - piano
Bill Pitman - guitar
Jerry Cole - guitar
Larry Knechtel - bass
Hal Blaine: drums

From the YouTube poster:

This is a very interesting video for many reasons.First, Gene Clark is on a Fender Xll 12 string guitar (As opposed to Tambourine), Gene & David's vocal mics are not in the mix until the second chorus.AND; the coolest anecdote of all:If you listen carefully, you can hear Gene Clark's barritone vocal part in the second chorus during "In the jingle jangle morning I'll come following you".This part was NOT on the record; reason being is that Gene's vocals were on the same track as Leon Russell's electric piano, which was taken out of the mix.The vocals here are LIVE, while the music is the recorded backing track.Another noteworthy point; Roger McGuinn isn't even pretending to "Sinc" his guitar part correctly, by playing his famous "Scruggsy picking style", but rather strumming in earnest. :-) Watch Gene Clark butt in on Frankie Avalon!!

there is still much mystery around performances of this song and I am not happy we have the full story yet really



1966 - The Beatles
The Beatles started a six-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with Revolver the group's ninth US chart topper. The title ' Revolver ', like Rubber Soul before it, is a pun, referring both to a kind of handgun as well as the "revolving" motion of the record as it is played on a turntable.

1966 - The Supremes
The Supremes started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'You Can't Hurry Love', the group's sixth US No.1. It made No.3 in the UK and gave Phil Collins a UK No.1 in 1982.

1967 - Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley recorded 'Guitar Man' at RCA studio, Nashville, Tennessee. The Jerry Reed song became the last of eleven number one country hits for Presley.
I sincerely hope Jerry Reed something of a mercurial and somewhat unsung figure got full royalties on this


1973 - The Rolling Stones
The BBC banned The Rolling Stones single 'Star Star', from their Goat's Head Soup album because it contained the word "Star-fucker" in the chorus a dozen times. It became a late favourite of mine . . . . . . . 

1977 - Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf released his second studio album Bat Out Of Hell. His first collaboration with composer Jim Steinman and producer Todd Rundgren, it is one of the best-selling albums of all time, having sold over 43 million copies worldwide (and still sells over 200,000 copies per year). The first single released from the album 'You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth' failed to chart when first released. I post this here only because we once had a neighbour in the flat below us when my son was first born who in his alcoholic haze played 'Bat Out of Hell' over and over REALLY loud when he had been drinking! He resisted all attempts to silence him, even when we asked him to cool it later on and in the early hours of the morning. I tried my best to be tolerant but finally gave in. Eventually having a fairly formidable stereo at the time ( a Leak 1 valve amp Goldring deck with large Wharfdale speakers) and I placed the speakers down on the living room floor over the neighbour's bedroom and played Lou Reed's 'Rock 'n' Roll Animal' REALLY REALLY LOUD. He went rather quiet after that . . . . . . 

1983 - Michael Sembello
Former Stevie Wonder guitarist Michael Sembello, started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Maniac'. The track was featured in the film 'Flashdance'. A No.43 hit in the UK. Jeez it's rubbish! Steve Wonder? Are you SURE! Flashdance even?

1991 - Nirvana
Nirvana's single 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' was released in the US. The unexpected success of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' in late 1991 propelled Nevermind to the top of the charts at the start of 1992, an event often marked as the point where alternative rock entered the mainstream. Great song!

1994 - R.E.M.
REM were at No.9 on the UK singles chart with 'What's The Frequency Kenneth'. The song's title refers to an incident in 1986 when two unknown assailants attacked journalist Dan Rather while repeating "Kenneth, what is the frequency?"

1996 - Ray Coleman
Music journalist Ray Coleman died of cancer. Coleman had worked with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones and had been the editor of the UK music weekly Melody Maker throughout the heyday of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones into the era of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.

Ray Coleman




1997 - Andy Warhol

An electric chair, which was used in Alcatraz and once owned by Andy Warhol, sold for £4,800 at an auction in Bristol. Warhol used to sit in the chair and watch horror movies.
Andy Warhol's Electric Chair screen print

1999 - Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney made headline news after being seen at a New York City party minus one of his front teeth after a crown broke off when he was eating. He'd lost the tooth in a motorcycle accident in 1967.

2001 - Jay Kay
Jamiroquai singer Jay Kay pleaded not guilty to assault charges after being accused of hitting a photographer and destroying camera equipment outside London night-club. Photographer, Dennis Gill, alleged that on April 14, Jay Kay punched him and destroyed camera equipment worth £250 outside the Attica night-club in London's West End, the case was adjourned until October 22.


2002 - Chris Cowey
Chris Cowey the man behind the UK's longest running music TV show Top Of The Pops accused record bosses of controlling the singles chart with marketing scams and as a result the chart lacked credibility and was 'full of crap records.'


Purely gratuitous shot of the gorgeous DJs Ferne Cotton and Clara Amfo

2005 - The Beatles
The 1967 Beatles track 'A Day In The Life' from Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was voted the best British song of all time by music experts. The survey by Q magazine called the track "the ultimate sonic rendition of what it means to be British". The Kinks' song 'Waterloo Sunset' came second in the poll and 'Wonderwall' by Oasis was voted in third place.

2005 - Clarence Brown
Grammy-award winning guitarist and singer Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown died in Texas at the age of 81. Recorded with Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder and Frank Zappa during a career that spanned 50 years.

Fess and Gatemouth 'Rock n Roll Gumbo

2006 - Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'I Don't Feel Like Dancin', the American's band first UK No.1. The song was co-written with Elton John, who also played piano on the song.


2007 - Kid Rock
Pamela Anderson's ex-husband Kid Rock was involved in an alleged assault on drummer Tommy Lee, (who was also married to the actress up until 1998). Police interviewed witnesses to a tussle involving the pair at the MTV Music Video Awards in Las Vegas. Lee was removed from the ceremony while Rock, was allowed to stay.



2007 - Girls Aloud (no me neither . . . . . name one!)
Girls Aloud broke the record for most consecutive top 10 hits in the U.K. singles chart by a female act. Their latest single 'Sexy! No No No' entered the chart at number five giving them a run of 16 top 10 hits.
oh wait I can do this . . . . Nadine Coyle?, the geordie one, whats'ername and I think I like the scouser, Kimblery Walsh? Is that right? and the one who early on got arrested for blacking the eye of a toilet attendant? who thinks it would be cool to identify as just 'Cheryl' formerly one of the most chav names in the world Cheryl Tweedy Cole Fernandez-versini Payne? Is that one?

2009 - Bob Dylan
A harmonica owned by Bob Dylan sold for £2,700 at auction in Norfolk, England, more than four times the guide price. The singer-songwriter had presented the chromonica harmonica, made by Hohner, to a member of his wardrobe department in 1974. Lifetime Dylan fan John Fellas, of Gorleston, Norfolk, who wore Dylan-style sunglasses while bidding, outbid fans from across the world for the instrument. The inside of the harmonica case was signed and dedicated by Dylan. It had is expected to fetch more than £600 at the sale by Barnes Auctioneers. Fellas told reporters he was still plucking up the courage to tell his wife about what he had done.

BIRTHDAYS

1984 - Matthew Followill
Matthew Followill, lead guitarist, from American rock band Kings of Leon who had the 2007 UK No.1 album Because Of The Times, and the 2008 UK No.1 single ‘Sex on Fire’. The band has sold over 21 million albums worldwide and 38 million singles.

1957 - Siobhan Fahey

then . . . . . 

and now

Siobhan Fahey, singer with British female pop group Bananarama who had the 1984 UK No.3 single 'Robert De Niro's Waiting', plus over 20 other UK Top 40 singles, and the 1986 US No.1 single 'Venus' a cover of the Dutch rock band Shocking Blue 1970 hit. Fahey was also a member of Shakespeares Sister who had the 1992 UK No.1 single 'Stay'. (she's the delightfully bonkers one . . . . .I always liked Siobhan)


You better hope and pray that you will wake one day in your own world . . . . little chance of that Siobhan!

1957 - Carol Decker

Carol Decker, vocals, T'Pau, who had the 1987 UK No.1 single 'China In Your Hand' and the 1987 US & UK No.4 single 'Heart And Soul', (which was initially a flop in the UK). T'Pau took their name from a Vulcan elder of the same name in the sci-fi series Star Trek.

1950 - Don Powell

Don Powell, drummer with English rock band Slade who scored 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six No.1's on the UK Singles Chart becoming the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles. Allegedly and reportedly one of the nicest guys in rock. Happy 73rd birthday Don!



1950 - Joe Perry
Joe Perry, guitarist with Aerosmith who scored the 1989 UK No.13 single 'Love In An Elevator', and their 1989 album Pump spent 53 weeks on the US charts They had the 1993 US No.1 & UK No.2 album Get A Grip and the 1998 US No.1 & UK No.4 single 'I Don't Want To Miss A Thing'. Aerosmith is the best-selling American hard rock band of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide.


probably the only time I really sat up and took notice of Aerosmith but check that guitar riff!

1945 - Jose Feliciano
Jose Feliciano, singer, songwriter, guitarist, born blind, (1968 US No.3 & UK No.6 single 'Light My Fire').


1942 - Danny Hutton
Danny Hutton, singer with Three Dog Night, who had the 1970 UK No.3 & US No.1 single with a cover of the Randy Newman song 'Mama Told Me Not To Come'. The band scored 21 Billboard Top 40 hits (with three hitting No.1) between 1969 and 1975.

1939 - Cynthia Lennon
Cynthia Lennon first wife of John Lennon, the couple divorced on 8th November 1968. She died at her home in Spain on 1st April 2015 following a short battle with cancer. We loved Cyn, don't know why we just did . . . she always looked lovely, the sort of girl you could bring home to tea to meet your Mum up North and that you could trust with your life. She's what we would have called then a 'dolly bird' and she was! 






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