ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

November 7th

1958 - Eddie Cochran

Eddie Cochran made his UK chart debut with 'Summertime Blues'. It reached No.18 in the UK & No.8 in the US. The song has been covered by many artists, including being a No.1 hit for country music artist, Alan Jackson, and a notable hit for the English rock band, The Who. I think I have said before I remember by brother having a 78 of Eddie Cochran 20 Flight Rock! 

1963 - The Beatles

The Beatles went to Ireland to make their only two appearances ever in the country playing two shows at the Adelphi Cinema, Dublin. The group hooked up with screenwriter Alun Owen, who had been appointed to write the screenplay for The Beatles' first (as yet untitled) motion picture. Owen spent three days with The Beatles observing their hectic lifestyle.

1967 - Elton John

Reg Dwight (Elton John) and his song writing partner Bernie Taupin signed to DJM publishing, their signatures had to be witnessed by their parents because they were both under 21 years of age. Taupin answered an advertisement for a lyric writer placed in the New Musical Express, the pair have since collaborated on over 30 albums.

1967 - The Beatles

The Beatles finished recording ‘Blue Jay Way’, ‘Flying’ and ‘Magical Mystery Tour.’ The Beatles have only six songs, not enough for an album so decided to issue a double-EP. Capitol Records didn’t think the double-EP format would be acceptable for the US market, so they decide to put out an album instead. The six "Magical Mystery Tour" songs with five of the six songs from The Beatles' 1967 singles went on side two.

1969 - The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones kicked off their 6th North American tour at Fort Collins state University, Colorado. Also on the bill was Ike and Tina Turner, Chuck Berry and B.B. King.

1974 - Ted Nugent

Ted Nugent won a National Squirrel-shooting contest after picking off a squirrel at 150 yards. The heavy metal guitarist also shot dead 27 other mammals during the three day event. This is the sort of human he is . . . . .staunchly pro NRA and reactionary right wing in extremis . . . . . . .what we call over a 'twat'!

1987 - Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'Tunnel Of Love.' His eighth studio album went triple platinum in the US, with 'Brilliant Disguise' being one of his biggest hit singles, peaking at No.5 on the Billboard Hot 100. I think I started to like Bruce round about now and do in fact own one album (

1999 - Geri Halliwell

Geri Halliwell went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Lift Me Up', beating former colleague Emma Bunton's single which entered the chart at No.2. Sales of Geri's single were helped by front-page press reports about her dating Chris Evans. There is something of the Stepford village about dear Geri something not quite right, the lights are on (sort of) but this is a woman who wanted to date George Michael and didn't seem to quite understand why she couldn't . . . . bless

now and then

good grief!

2004 - Elton John

Elton John turned the air blue live on BBC Radio 1 using the words; f****ing, w**k, and t**s. The singer was a guest on the Chris Moyles Radio 1 breakfast show in the UK. Probably hadn't taken his HRT

2014 - AC/DC

Australian drummer of AC/DC, Phil Rudd, had a charge of attempting to arrange a murder dropped in New Zealand, but he will still facing charges of drugs possession and making threats to kill. The U-turn by authorities, announced less than 24 hours after Mr Rudd appeared in court, was because of a lack of evidence, his lawyer said. He was sentenced to staying at home for eight months . . . . 

2016 - Leonard Cohen

Canadian singer, songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen died at the age of 82 at his home in Los Angeles. Cohen pursued a career as a poet and novelist during the 1950s and early 1960s, and did not launch a music career until 1967, at the age of 33. His first album, Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967), was followed by three more albums of folk music: Songs from a Room (1969), Songs of Love and Hate (1971) and New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974). "Hallelujah" is a song written by Canadian singer Leonard Cohen, originally released on his album Various Positions (1984). His song 'Hallelujah' found greater popular acclaim through a recording by John Cale, which inspired a recording by Jeff Buckley. 
Probably up there in my top writers and singer songwriters of all time. Pretty sure I have every record and many of his books including an early influence 'Beautiful Losers' which I read after school and found in my college library. I carried it around with me for weeks.




2017 - Pentti Glan

Finnish rock drummer Pentti Glan died of lung cancer at the age of 71. He is best known for his work with Alice Cooper and Lou Reed. He also appeared in the movie The Rose as the drummer of The Rose Band.I think he first blew me away when I heard Lou's Rock n Roll Animal, the whole band were extraordinary but Pentti's drumming is central 

BIRTHDAYS

1996 - Ella Yelich-O'Connor

New Zealand singer-songwriter, Ella Yelich-O'Connor, known by her stage name Lorde who had the 2013 worldwide hit 'Royals', making her the first New Zealand solo artist to have a No.1 song in the United States. Her second studio album Melodrama topped charts in New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Canada. I don't quite know what it is abut this young woman but she struck me early on and much like Florence from Florance and the Machine or say Björk seemed to arrive fully formed and excellent a unique voice and artist to boot . . . . 

1988 - Tinie Tempah

English rapper, Tinie Tempah, (born Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu). Scored the 2010 UK No.1 'Pass Out', and 'Written in the Stars'.

1988 - Tinie Tempah

English rapper, Tinie Tempah, (born Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu). Scored the 2010 UK No.1 'Pass Out', and 'Written in the Stars'. I don't know much of this young man's music but all his appliances on the telebox in the corner of the room he has impressed me. I like him!

1970 - Neil Hannon

Neil Hannon, (1999 UK No. 8 single 'National Express') is a Northern Irish singer and songwriter. He is the creator and front man of the chamber pop group The Divine Comedy, and is the band's sole constant member. Hannon wrote the theme tunes for the television sitcoms Father Ted and The IT Crowd. I first came across him as The Diven Comedy from a dear friend and colleague at the bookshop I worked at and have collected pretty much everything ever since. An underrated writer he is destined to be inescapably niche as he is just far too clever!




1967 - Sharleen Spiteri

Sharleen Spiteri, singer, songwriter from Scottish pop rock band Texas who had the 1997 UK No.3 single 'Say What You Want', and the 1997 UK No.1 album White On Blonde which has been certified six-times platinum in the UK. I once had the pleasure of seeing Sharleen and her entourage (family? the rest of Texas her band?) on Paddington Staion and we made eye contact and she had that look of 'Oh heck I've been spotted!' but I smiled at her and she smiled back at me. She looked fantastic frankly and was gorgeous charismatic and beautiful, dressed holy in black like fatigues, a bomber jacker, black combat trousers and possibly shoes like DM's or a good all purpose black flat bottomed sensible shoe or boot. Stunning . . . . .I was reeling for hours afterward. She was on her way on a train possibly wondering 'I wonder who that funny old man was smiling at me?'

1964 - Liam O'Maonlai

Liam O'Maonlai, vocals, guitar, piano, from Irish rock group Hothouse Flowers who scored the 1988 UK No.11 single 'Don't Go'. Their first album, People, released in 1988 became the most successful debut album in Irish history. It reached the No.1 slot in Ireland within a week and eventually reached No.2 in the UK Albums Chart. I have the 12" version of this . . . . . 

1943 - Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell (Roberta Joan Anderson), Canadian singer, songwriter, 1970 UK No.11 single 'Big Yellow Taxi'. She wrote 'Both Sides Now' a hit for Judy Collins and 'Woodstock' a hit for Crosby, Stills Nash & Young and Matthews Southern Comfort. Mitchell's work is highly respected by critics, and she has deeply influenced fellow musicians in a diverse range of genres mostly folk but crossed over into easy listening smooth jazz.  She started off as so many feckless and drifting middle class to art school but switched to music as she must have realised she was a mixed talent and at best a second rate illustrator (see album art produced by Mitchell). I bought all her work until 'Miles of Aisles' I think. The burgeoning egomania and frankly embarrassing levels of pretentiousness mean we left her behind and grew up.
 An eccentric vainglorious woman and in later years she has experienced mixed mental health. The ego doesn't take kindly to ageing and not being the centre of attention anymore can be devastating. 
Years of adulation don't do us much good as a rule and the life styles of the 'counter culture' (belonging to which she denies now) she has suffered the affects of cocaine induced psychoses manifesting as 'Morgellons Syndrome' so called, which includes psychosomatic delusions that long string like growths are emerging from under the skin. 

"Fibres in a variety of colours protrude out of my skin like mushrooms after a rainstorm: they cannot be forensically identified as animal, vegetable or mineral" 

Mitchell wonders if they are from outer space. One can but wonder why they cannot be photographed but hey, that's for another day. 
A  classic hallucination symptom induced by cocaine abuse resulting in delusional parasitosis. Suffice to say turning into a curmudgeonly grumpy old maid denying her roots and arguing with herself over whether Bob Dylan is a plagiarist whereas you are merely a fine advert for American Tobacco still in your continuing sad addiction to nicotine whereas the rest of us sorted that out years ago now is nothing if not desperately sad. Recently she has suffered further health complications in 2015 and was found comatose in her home from which she has taken time to steadily recover from what it transpires was a brain aneurism. Our early heroines and heroes should never grow old   . . . . 

the hilariously kitsch pomposity of Turbulent Indigo

1937 - Mary Travers

Mary Travers, singer-songwriter from American folk group Peter Paul and Mary, who had the 1969 US No.1 & 1970 UK No.2 single 'Leaving On A Jet Plane'. The Bob Dylan song 'Blowin' in the Wind' was one of their biggest hit singles. They also sang other Dylan songs, such as 'The Times They Are a-Changin'' and 'Don't Think Twice, It's All Right'.  For years it was thought she had an affair with Bob Dylan and the stories largely centred around 'did they, didn't they' style gossip. They did! 
She died on 16th Sept 2009 aged 72.

with thanks to On This Day in Music