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

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

October 15th

1960 - The Beatles
The Beatles (minus Pete Best) and two members of Rory Storm's Hurricanes (Ringo Starr and Lou Walters) recorded a version of George Gershwin's ‘Summertime’ in a Hamburg recording studio. The track which was cut onto a 78-rpm disc marked the first session that included John LennonPaul McCartneyGeorge Harrison and Ringo together.
1965 - Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix signed his first recording contract in the UK, where he would received $1 and a 1% Royalty on all of his recordings.


1966 - Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd (who were paid £15 for the gig), The Move, Denny Laine, Soft Machine, Yoko Ono and a West Indian steel band all appeared at the launch for the International Times (which became the first and longest running British hippy paper), at London's Roundhouse. Beatle Paul McCartney attended the event in Arabian dress. The flyers for the evening stated: 'Bring your own poison, bring flowers & gass (sic), filled balloons'. Admission was 10 shillings (50p) on the door.

1966 - Four Tops
The Four Tops started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Reach Out, I'll Be There'. The group's second US No.1 and their first No.1 in the UK, (and becoming Motown's second UK chart-topper after The Supremes No. 1 hit 'Baby Love' in late 1964). It had a profound affect upon me.

1972 - Lieutenant Pigeon
Lieutenant Pigeon were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Mouldy Old Dough.' Keyboard player Rob Woodward had his mum play piano on the single, making them the only mother and son act to score a UK No.1. The song was recorded in the front room of their semi-detached house. Here he is with his Mum on TOTP!

1973 - Keith Richards
Keith Richards was found guilty of trafficking cannabis by a Court in Nice, France. The Rolling Stone was given a one-year suspended sentence and a 5,000 franc fine. He was also banned from entering France for two years.
wot again?
1988 - UB40/Neil Diamond
UB40 went to No.1 on the US singles chart with their version of the Neil Diamond song 'Red Red Wine', also a No.1 hit in the UK.

1995 - Paul and Linda McCartney
Paul and Linda McCartney were the guest voices on Fox-TV's The Simpsons in an episode called "Lisa the Vegetarian". Macca's stipulation for appearing was that Lisa's decision to become a vegetarian would be a permanent character change, to which producer David Mirkin agreed.

1996 - Motley Crue
Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee was charged with assault for attacking a cameraman who was trying to take pictures of Lee and his wife Pamela Anderson Lee outside an L.A. club. After pleading no contest, Lee was sentenced to four months in prison.


2000 - Radiohead
Radiohead went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'Kid A', the group's fourth album became the first Radiohead release to debut at No.1 in the US.

2006 - The Sugababes
The Sugababes were the most successful UK all-female act of the 21st century, according to new figures. Since their chart debut in 2000, they had scored 16 hits, beating the likes of Madonna and Britney Spears. The trio first made UK chart history in 2002 when, with ‘Freak Like Me’, made them the youngest female group to top the chart. My dear friend DoP Steve Blackman shot the video for 'Freak . . . ' with them and said they were all lovely and very professional. He was especially impressed by Keisha and Mutya (whilst there is now a running gag about how many members they have gone through the standard core members of the original band were certainly the most talented, Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena and Siobhán Donaghy or alternatively Heidi Range.) 
2007 - Britney Spears
Britney Spears visited a Los Angeles police station to be photographed and fingerprinted ahead of her hit-and-run court case. The 25-year-old singer spent about 30 minutes at the station after a judge ordered her to submit to the procedures. Ms Spears was charged last month for allegedly crashing into a parked car while driving without a valid licence.


2008 - Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi became the latest musician to disapprove of the use of his songs in John McCain's US presidential campaign. The Bon Jovi song, ‘Who Says You Can't Go Home’, was used during rallies held by Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Foo Fighters, Heart and Jackson Browne had all asked Mr McCain to stop using their tracks in his presidential bid. Bon Jovi, a Democrat supporter, threw a $30,000 (£17,000) per person, fund-raising dinner for Democratic candidate Barack Obama at his New Jersey home in September.
2013 - Madonna
Madonna was banned from a US cinema chain after being accused of texting during a film. Attending the New York Film Festival screening of 12 Years a Slave, the 55-year-old was reportedly asked to stop texting by an audience member. Tim League, CEO of the Alamo Drafthouse chain, tweeted: "Until she apologizes to movie fans, Madonna is banned from watching movies at Alamo."

How many mobiles does a girl need?
2014 - U2
U2 frontman Bono said he was sorry after their latest album was automatically added to the libraries of all iTunes users around the world, saying the move was a "drop of megalomania, a touch of generosity". iTunes users complained that the 11-track Songs of Innocence had been added to their music library without permission and that it was not clear how to delete it. Less the generosity and more the megalomania!

BIRTHDAYS

1966 - Douglas Vipond
Dougie Vipond, Scottish broadcaster and drummer with Deacon Blue, who had the 1988 UK No.8 single 'Real Gone Kid', plus over 15 other UK Top 40 singles.

1966 - Dave Stead
Dave Stead, with The Beautiful South, who had the 1990 UK No.1 single 'A Little Time' plus over 15 other UK Top 40 singles.

1963 - Jay Bennett
Jay Bennett, guitarist, from American alternative rock band Wilco who released the albums Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, A Ghost Is Born, Sky Blue Sky and Wilco (The Album). Sadly Bennett passed away unexpectedly in his sleep after a overdose of painkiller fentanyl. Earlier that same month he had been driven to sue frontman Jeff Tweedy for more royalties. On the weekend of his death, members of Titanic Love Affair and fellow bands and friends from its heyday had descended on Champaign-Urbana for a "Play or Pose Reunion" at which Bennett was expected to perform. When Bennett failed to show up for festivities, they posted a picture on the "Play or Pose" website, brandishing a placard. Sadly he was in his apartment, dead.



1942 - Chris Andrews
English singer-songwriter Chris Andrews. By his mid teens he had formed his own group, Chris Ravel and the Ravers. Andrews later had the 1965 UK No.3 single and German at No. 1 hit 'Yesterday Man'.
I really recall this song too and how much it annoyed me but we dug his dancing and despite the ear worm aspect of this some people played it a lot down the youth club

1935 - Barry McGuire
American singer-songwriter Barry McGuire who had the 1965 US No.1 & UK No.3 single with the protest song 'Eve Of Destruction'. Top LA session players: P. F. Sloan on guitar, Hal Blaine (of the "Wrecking Crew") on drums, and Larry Knechtel on bass played on the track. The vocal by McGuire was thrown on as a rough mix and was not intended to be the final version, but a copy of the recording "leaked" out to a DJ, who began playing it. The song was an instant hit and as a result the more polished vocal track that was at first envisioned was never recorded. It introduced me to the notion of pacifism by my own generation but also the anti-nuclear CND argument, wearing my parent's CND badge from their march on the road to Aldermaston several neighbours and friends father's really argued with me about wearing it and accusing me of naivety. . . . . . I stand by it still

1917 - Paul Tanner
American musician Paul Tanner who was a a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Tanner developed and played the Electro-Theremin, an electronic musical instrument that mimics the sound of the theremin. He can be heard performing on the opening title theme music of the 1963-66 CBS-TV comedy series My Favorite Martian. His Theremin playing is featured on several recordings by The Beach Boys, most notably on 'Good Vibrations', 'Wild Honey', and 'I Just Wasn't Made For These Times'. Tanner died of pneumonia on February 5, 2013 at the age of 95.

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