ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

October 26th

1962 - The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones (known as The Rollin' Stones), and consisting of Keith Richard, Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, pianist Ian Stewart and drummer Tony Chapman recorded their first demo tape at Curly Clayton Studios in Highbury, London. They recorded three songs, Jimmy Reed's 'Close Together', Bo Diddley's 'You Cant Judge A Book By The Cover' and Muddy Waters' 'Soon Forgotten.'

1965 - The Beatles

Queen Elizabeth II invested The Beatles with their MBE's at Buckingham Palace, London. According to an account by John Lennon the group smoked marijuana in one of the palace bathrooms to calm their nerves. Many former recipients gave their MBE's back in protest, to which John Lennon responded "Lots of people who complained about us receiving the MBE received theirs for heroism in the war, for killing people." He continued: "We received ours for entertaining other people. I'd say we deserve ours more."

1966 - Alma Cogan

English singer Alma Cogan died of stomach cancer aged 34. She scored the 1955 UK No.1 single 'Dreamboat', plus 20 other UK Top 40 hits. In the 50s Cogan was the most consistently successful female singer in the UK and the youngest female act to top the charts during the 50s.

1968 - San Francisco Pop Festival

The two day San Francisco Pop Festival was held at Alameda County Fairgrounds. The Animals, Procol Harum, Iron Butterfly, Jose Feliciano, Deep Purple, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Canned Heat all appeared.

1970 - Janis Joplin

A wake was held at the Lion's Share in San Anselmo, California to celebrate the life of Janis Joplin. The singer who died of an accidental drugs overdose had left $2,500 in her will to throw a wake party in the event of her demise. The party was attended by her sister Laura and Joplin's close friends; Brownies laced with hashish were unknowingly passed around amongst the guests. Joplin was cremated in the Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Mortuary in Los Angeles; her ashes were scattered from a plane into the Pacific Ocean and along Stinson Beach.

Janis in London

Stinson Beach where Janis' ashes are scattered

1984 - Ozzy Osbourne

19-year-old John D. McCollum killed himself with a .22 caliber handgun after spending the day listening to Ozzy Osbourne records. One year later, McCollum's parents took court action against Ozzy and CBS Records, alleging that the song "Suicide Solution" from the album 'Blizzard of Ozz' contributed to their son's death. In their grief they came to believe it contained so called back-masking lyrics encouraging youngsters to shoot themselves urging 'try it, try it, try it" which was of course nonsense. The case was eventually thrown out of court. The song “Suicide Solution” was actually an anti-suicide song about a friend of Osbourne who drank himself to death, Ozzy's lawyer said.

1986 - Cyndi Lauper 'True Colours'

On this day in music history: October 25, 1986 - “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 2 weeks. Written by Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg, it is the second chart topping single for the pop superstar from Queens, NY. Following the huge success of her solo debut “She’s So Unusual”, Cyndi Lauper begins work on her sophomore release in late 1985. This time around, Lauper handles the production duties herself along with co-producer Lennie Petze. Best known for writing pop classics including “Like A Virgin”, “Eternal Flame”, “So Emotional” and “I’ll Stand By You”, songwriters Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg pen the ballad in 1985. Steinberg takes inspiration from his mother while writing the song, with Kelly helping finish it. Initially, the song is pitched to legendary producer George Martin for Kenny Rogers’ album “The Heart Of The Matter”. Martin loves the song, but Rogers passes on recording it. Kelly and Steinberg send their demo to Capitol Records’ A&R department, who in turn submit it to Anne Murray for consideration. She too declines to do the song. Finally, their manager sends a copy of the demo to Epic Records A&R exec Lennie Petze who plays it for Cyndi Lauper, who immediately agrees to record the song. When it is originally written, Kelly and Steinberg give “True Colors” a piano based gospel arrangement in a similar vein to Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. Lauper and Petze gives the song a poignant and stark revamping that personalizes it for the singer. The title track and first single from Cyndi’s second album, it is released in August of 1986, and is an instant smash. Entering the Hot 100 at #63 on August 30, 1986, it climbs to the top of the chart eight weeks later. After its chart success, “True Colors” is used in an ad campaign for Kodak film, and is later adapted as an anthem by the LGBTQ community, expressing diversity and acceptance. Cyndi Lauper later establishes the “True Colors Fund”, a non-profit organization to help homeless LGBTQ youth. The success of “True Colors” drives the accompanying album to Platinum status in the US.

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1991 - Bill Graham

Legendary Rock concert promoter Bill Graham was killed when the Bell 206B JetRanger III helicopter he was riding in struck the top of a Pacific Gas and Electric transmission tower near Sears Point, northwest of Vallejo and exploded. The crash, which left the helicopter's wreckage dangling near the top of the towering structure, killed Graham, his girlfriend Melissa Gold and pilot Steve Kahn. Graham had founded the Fillmore theaters in San Francisco and New York and had played key roles in supporting such bands as The Who, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Janis Joplin, The Band, Bob Dylan, The J. Geils Band, The Allman Brothers Band and The Rolling Stones.

with Jerry Garcia

Grace and Bill

1993 - Madonna

Catholic churches in San Juan, Puerto Rico asked residents to tie black ribbons on trees in protest against Madonna's first live appearance in the country. Blimey these religious folks are NUTS! It's a pop star! An average everyday singer singing songs . . . . . .

1994 - Joni Mitchell 'Turbulent Indigo'

On this day in music history: October 25, 1994 - “Turbulent Indigo”, the fifteenth album by Joni Mitchell is released. Produced by Joni Mitchell and Larry Klein, it is recorded at The Kiva Studios in Los Angeles, CA from Late 1993 - Mid 1994. After recording “Night Ride Home”, her final album for Geffen Records in 1991, Joni Mitchell takes her first extended hiatus from the music business. Almost a decade before, she marries jazz musician Larry Klein, who also becomes a co-producer on several of her albums during the 80’s and early 90’s. Those releases find her experimenting with drum machines, synthesizers and sequencers. By the time she returns to recording in 1993, the musician looks to return to less elaborate instrumentation, toward a more organic sound. Mitchell also returns to Reprise Records, the label she had been originally signed to in 1968, and where she had released her first four albums. Always putting the lyrical content and subject matter of her songs front and center, Joni writes about a variety of topics on her next album. She writes about the treatment of women who were sent to live and work in the Magdalene asylums (“The Madgalene Laundries”), run by the Protestant and later mostly Catholic churches. Regarded as homes for “fallen women” with no other familial support, they become work houses for former prostitutes, and girls baring children out of wedlock. There they faced draconian, prison like conditions where they were forced to earn their keep, and “atone for their earthly sins”. The song “Sex Kills” speaks of the AIDS pandemic, while juxtaposing it with sex being used as tool to sell everything, as well as violence and consumerism. “Not To Blame” covers the subject of spousal abuse, said to be in part about Mitchell’s friend musician Jackson Browne, who had allegedly hit his girlfriend, actress Darryl Hannah during an argument. Mitchell will publicly deny this is true. The title track “Turbulent Indigo” is inspired by a self portrait she paints (also used as the cover artwork), modeled after a self portrait painting by Dutch post-impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh. The album features Joni with a small rhythm section that includes her husband Larry Klein, Wayne Shorter, Jim Keltner, Carlos Vega, Greg Leisz, Steuart Smith and Bill Dillon. Seal contributes vocals to “How Do You Stop”, the only song on the album not written or co-written by Mitchell. Regarded as her most accessible album in many years, “Turbulent Indigo” receives a rapturous reception from critics and fans. The album wins two Grammy Awards in 1995, including Best Pop Album and Best Album Package. Though the artistic triumph is hampered slightly by Joni and Larry Klein’s twelve year marriage coming to an end, but the two remain good friends. “Turbulent Indigo” peaks at number forty seven on the Billboard Top 200. - Some fine and noble songs on here 'Sex Kills'  being amongst her worst! but the cover and it's title comparing herself to Van Gogh is about as pretentious as you can get. Terrible artwork on the cover notwithstanding. . . Vincent she ain't!

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1996 - Spice Girls

The Spice Girls had their second UK No.1 single when 'Say You'll Be There' started a two-week run at the top of the charts. The song included a harmonica solo, played by Judd Lander who also played the harmonica solo on Culture Club's 1984 hit 'Karma Chameleon'.

2007 - Bob Dylan

1,730 guitarists played the immortal Bob Dylan classic, 'Knocking On Heaven's Door' in a bid to break a record in the state of Meghalaya, North East India. The guitarists hoped their achievement would earn them a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. The current Guinness World Record was held by a guitar-ensemble from Kansas City in the US when 1,683 guitarists, played Deep Purple's 'Smoke On The Water'.


2007 - Pete Doherty

Pete Doherty was given a suspended prison term for drugs and motoring offences after admitting driving while uninsured, having no MOT and while in possession of crack cocaine, heroin, ketamine and cannabis. The Babyshambles singer was sentenced to four-months in jail, suspended for two years at West London Magistrates' Court. He was also given an 18-month supervision order and a 12-month drug rehabilitation order and ordered to pay a £475 fine for driving without insurance or an MOT. (N.B. Have you noticed how his entries in 'On This Day' type sources are more about his chaotic drug fuelled nonsense rather than anything creative? Just a question . . . . )

2010 - Top Earning Dead Celebrities

Forbes Magazine released its annual list of the Top Earning Dead Celebrities. Michael Jackson led the way at $275 million, Elvis Presley was second at $60 million and John Lennon was fifth at $17 million.

2010 - Boy George

Former Culture Club vocalist Boy George stunned an audience in London, England after reportedly flying into a rage and tossing his drink on a woman who was talking during his show. Before emptying his glass on her from the stage, George was heard shouting, "Why don't you shut the f**k up, you rude c**t!"

2011 - Amy Winehouse

A coroner's inquest on the death of Amy Winehouse reached a verdict of misadventure. The report explained that Winehouse's blood alcohol content was 416 mg per decilitre at the time of her death, more than five times the legal drink-drive limit. According to the coroner ‘The unintended consequences of such potentially fatal levels was her sudden death’.

2013 - Quincy Jones

Producer Quincy Jones was suing the estate of the late Michael Jackson for millions of dollars. He said the singer's estate and Sony Music Entertainment improperly re-edited songs to deprive him of royalties and production fees. Mr Jones stated that they also broke an agreement giving him the right to remix master recordings for albums released after Jackson's death in 2009.

BIRTHDAYS

1963 - Natalie Merchant

Natalie Merchant, singer, songwriter from American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs that was founded in 1981. After the recording of MTV Unplugged (1993) Merchant left the band to pursue a solo career. I think I have pretty much everything from Natalie and all the 10,000 Maniacs stuff too.

1951 - Maggie Roche

Maggie Roche, singer, songwriter, The Roches, worked with Paul Simon and Loudon Wainwright. The Roches (Maggie, Terre, and Suzzy Roche) were a vocal group of three songwriting Irish-American sisters from Park Ridge, New Jersey, United States, known for their "unusual" and "rich" harmonies, quirky lyrics, and casually comedic stage performances. Suzzy is the mother of Lucy Wainwright Roche half sister to Rufus and Martha Wainwright the children of Loudon Wainwright III

1911 - Mahalia Jackson

American gospel singer Mahalia Jackson. Known as the "Queen of Gospel Music" she recorded over 30 albums and became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world and was heralded internationally as a singer and civil rights activist. She died on 27 January 1972 of heart failure and diabetes complications aged 60. A confirmed atheist or non-theist people express surprise at my penchant for early gosple music. I grew up with the sound of Paul Robeson and his spirituals gospel songs of Sister Rosetta Tharpe and others but this is about music not it's message for me. Mahalia Jackson is important in that  unique vocalising way, a legend and a joy.