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

Tuesday, October 01, 2019

ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

October 1st

1965 - Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan appeared at Carnegie Hall in New York City. He introduced his new touring band on this tour, made up of guitarist Robbie Robertson, organist Garth Hudson, bassist Rick Danko, pianist Richard Manual and drummer Levon Helm. They will become known simply as The Band.

Acoustic set: Bob Dylan (vocal, harmonica & acoustic guitar) She Belongs To MeTo RamonaGates Of EdenMr. Tambourine ManLove Minus Zero/No LimitDesolation RowIt's All Over Now, Baby Blue Electric set: Bob Dylan (vocal, harmonica & electric guitar), Robbie Robertson (electric guitar), Garth Hudson (organ), Richard Manuel (piano), Rick Danko (bass), Levon Helm (drums).Maggie's FarmI Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?Just Like Tom Thumb's BluesTombstone BluesIt Ain't Me, BabePositively 4th StreetBallad Of A Thin ManLike A Rolling Stone


1966 - Jimi Hendrix


Jimi Hendrix appeared live for the first time in the UK when he jammed with Cream at their gig at London Polytechnic. Hendrix made his official UK live debut a month later on Friday 25 Nov 1966, when the Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared at the Bag O'Nails Club, London.
Hendrix jams with Cream
1 October 1966
In 1966 Eric Clapton was the undisputed king of rock guitar in Britain. That was until Hendrix turned up on the scene. Jimi had only been in England for a week, yet there was already talk of this amazing American guitarist who had been creating a storm in London's blues clubs.
In a particularly over confident gesture Hendrix asked if he could jam with Cream at their gig at Central London Polytechnic. Hendrix took the stage and tore through a version of 'Killing Floor' in double time. Cream soon regretted allowing him to join them. Hendrix's outrageous stage antics and dazzling guitar playing caused Clapton to leave the stage in a state of shock. He asked Chas Chandler afterwards "Is he always that f***ing good?"

1967 - The Rolling Stones
Thieves broke into Mick Jagger's London flat and stole jewellery and furs belonging to his then girlfriend Marianne Faithfull.

1967 - John Peel
The first edition of UK BBC Radio 1's 'Top Gear' was aired. Presented by John Peel and Pete Drummond they featured The Move, TrafficPink Floyd, Tim Rose and Tomorrow featuring Keith West.
1967 Part Two - Top Gear!

Radio 1 DJs outside All Souls Church, LondonJohn's first show for BBC Radio 1 was called Top Gear, which he co-presented with former Radio London DJ Pete Drummond. It went to air at 2pm on Sunday October 1st, 1967, and it promised sessions with some of the hottest names in the music business. John Peel got the job by the skin of his teeth as BBC bigwigs thought he was too much of a loose cannon. But Top Gear producer, and BBC veteran of 10 years, Bernie Andrews, had his eye on Peel and demanded that he present the show. Andrews became John's advocate, convincing BBC bosses to give John the opportunity to stay at the station - albeit on a six-week contract - even though his style was at odds with the "stuffy establishmentarianism" of the BBC.

Immediately, John and Bernie started to book sessions from artists John thought worthy of recognition. The Peel Sessions on Top Gear attracted the likes of Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Captain Beefheart and the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.
The Peel sessions, now as famous as the man himself, were born.

John adopted Top Gear as his own programme, complete with solo billing which came with new-found freedom to play whatever he liked, whenever he liked

1970 - Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix was buried at The Greenwood Cemetery at the Dunlop Baptist Church, Seattle. Among the mourners; Miles Davis, Eric Burdon, Johnny Winter and members of Derek and the Dominoes.

1973 - Simon Park Orchestra
The Simon Park Orchestra were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Eye Level,' taken from the ITV series 'Van Der Valk.' It was the first TV theme to become a No.1 in the UK.


1975 - Al Jackson
39 year old Al Jackson, drummer for Booker T. And The MGs, was shot and killed by a burglar at his home. His wife was questioned about the killing because she was arrested in July for shooting her husband in the chest during a domestic dispute. He wasn't badly hurt and the charges were dismissed when his wife claimed self-defense. Jackson had returned home to what police described as a botched robbery attempt. According to Jackson's wife, an intruder made her answer the door and then threw her husband to the floor demanding money. Jackson was forced to lie face down and then was shot in the back five times. The identity of the culprit remains a mystery. Booker T had backed such artists as Otis Redding, Al Green and Sam and Dave.

1977 - Elton John
Elton John became the first musician to be honoured in New York City's Madison Square Hall Of Fame.

1981 - Martin Chambers
The Pretenders were forced to cancel the last leg of a US tour after drummer Martin Chambers put his hand through a windowpane, cutting tendons and arteries.

1994 - Michael Jackson
The Daily Mirror in the UK printed a photo of Michael Jackson in a scoutmaster's uniform along with several young Boy Scouts. A Boy Scouts leader later made a statement saying that Jackson had no association with the organisation.

1999 - Lena Zavaroni
Singer Lena Zavaroni died aged 35 after a long battle against anorexia. Zavoroni was discovered on TV talent show Opportunity Knocks, in 1974 she became the youngest British singer to earn a silver disc with 'Ma He's Making Eyes At Me' and the youngest person to appear on TV's Top Of The Pops.A terrible tragedy for any youngster but especially harrowing to die like this in the pubic view. Anorexia is an affiliation I had trouble with as a therapist and believe it requires specialist treatment fo the most protracted and difficult kind. 

2005 - Pete Doherty
Pete Doherty was arrested during a police drugs operation in Shrewsbury where his band Babyshambles had been playing and held overnight. Police said a man and a woman were arrested for possession of class A drugs and 17 others searched during an operation in Telford. A gig in Norwich planned for the following night was cancelled.

2007 - Radiohead
Radiohead's official website crashed after the band announced that their new album 'In Rainbows' would only be available to order via www.radiohead.com. Fans could pre-order the download at any price they choose or pay £40 for a "discbox", which included two CDs, two records, plus artwork and booklets.



2007 - Spice Girls
The Spice Girls London reunion concert sold out in 38 seconds after fans were notified tickets had gone on sale. More than one million people in the UK registered for the concert, on 15 December 2007 at the O2 arena, tickets cost £55-75. Three more London dates were added to the world tour which was kicking off in Vancouver on 2nd Dec.

2015 - The Beatles
An original tape of The Beatles performing at The Cavern Club in Liverpool in 1962 was found after 50 years languishing in a desk drawer. It featured the Fab Four playing 'Some Other Guy' in September 1962, four weeks before their debut single came out. It was recorded after the group were filmed for Granada TV's Know The North, but was never broadcast.
2018 - Charles Aznavour
French singer, actor, public activist and diplomat Charles Aznavour was found dead in a bathtub at his home at Mouriès at the age of 94. He was famous for his 1974 UK No.1 single 'She' and was one of France's most popular and enduring singers (dubbed France's Frank Sinatra). He sold more than 180 million records, recorded more than 1,200 songs (interpreted in nine languages) and he wrote or co-wrote more than 1,000 songs for himself and others.

BIRTHDAYS


1959 - Youssou N'dour
Youssou N'dour, Senegalese singer, percussionist, (1994 UK No.3 single '7 Seconds'), worked with Peter Gabriel, Wyclef Jean, Paul SimonBruce Springsteen and Sting.

1947 - Rob Davis
Rob Davis, guitarist songwriter from English glam rock band Mud who had the 1974 UK No.1 single 'Tiger Feet' which was the UK's best-selling single of 1974 plus 14 other UK Top 40 singles. In 2000, he achieved commercial songwriting success, most notably with the songs 'Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)' for Spiller and co- wrote the 2001 UK No.1 hit 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head' for Kylie Minogue.




1945 - Donny Hathaway
Donny Hathaway, US soul singer (1972 UK No.29 single with Roberta Flack 'Where Is The Love', 1978 US No.2 single 'The Closer I Get'). Committed suicide falling from a 15th floor hotel window on 13th January 1979.
1930 - Richard Harris
Actor, singer, Richard Harris, (1968 US & UK No.4 single 'MacArthur Park'). Died of cancer on 25th Oct 2002. A lifelong favourite actor from Lyndsay Anderson's 'This Sporting Life' opposite Rachel Roberts who I adored, to 'Camelot', 'A Man Called Horse' and 'The Field', and even 'Unforgiven',  Harris turned in a superb performance as Professor Dumbledore in the first Harry Potter films until passing away when the only person who could possibly match his performance took over the incomparable Sir Michael Gambon. 
A member of the gang of hard drinking British actors numbering Peter O'Toole, Richard Burton, Oliver Reed Michael Caine, the artist Francis Bacon, Robert Shaw and Trevor Howard and even when filming Harry Potter he drank with Kenneth Branagh and Alan Rickman keeping them up regularly til four in the morning. An alcoholic who in the seventies consumed two bottles of vodka a day and tapering off in the evening with brandy and port (a bottle of each) whilst filming in Hawaii he developed a penchant for a local cocktail of Rum, Cointreau and grenadine! On being told he had only 18 months to live he mourned his fate by going straight out and drinking two bottles of Chateau Margeaux 1947. He maintained his sobriety under some duress but as the end of his life approached he became partial to a night cap of a pint of Guinness! 

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