ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

BOXING DAY

December 26th

1964 - The Beatles

The Beatles started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'I Feel Fine'. It was the group's 6th No.1 of the year in which they had 30 entries on the chart, giving them a total of 18 weeks at the top of the charts.

1964 - The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones placed an advertisement in the music paper New Musical Express, wishing starving hairdressers and their families a Happy Christmas.

1965 - Paul McCartney

While spending Christmas at his father's home in Cheshire, Paul McCartney crashed from the moped he was riding and suffered a five-inch cut to his mouth.

1966 - John Lennon

John Lennon appeared as a men's room attendant in Peter Cook's and Dudley Moore's BBC TV UK show 'Not only... But also'.

1966 - Jimi Hendrix

The Jimi Hendrix Experience played an afternoon show at The Uppercut Club, London, (where he was billed as “The American Top soul Singer - Jimi Hendrix”). Hendrix also wrote the lyrics to Purple Haze in the dressing room on the same day.

1967 - The Beatles

BBC Television broadcast The Beatles movie ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ in black and white. The next day, the British press and the viewing public pronounce the film an utter disaster. The negative reaction was so strong that a US television deal for broadcasting the movie was cancelled.

1968 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin started their first North American tour supporting Vanilla Fudge and Spirit at Denver Auditorium, Colorado, tickets for this Sunday night gig cost $5. 

1970 - George Harrison

George Harrison started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'My Sweet Lord', making him the first Beatle to score a No.1 US hit. The song was originally intended for Billy Preston.

1976 - Sex Pistols

The Sex Pistols recorded 'God Save The Queen' at Wessex Studios London, England. The song was released during Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee in 1977. The record's lyrics, as well as the cover, were controversial at the time, and both the BBC and the Independent Broadcasting Authority refused to play the song. The song reached No.1 on the NME charts.

1979 - The Kampuchea Concerts

The first night of a series of concerts were held at The Hammersmith Odeon in London for the People of Kampuchea, featuring Queen, The Clash, The Pretenders, The Who, Elvis Costello, Wings, and many more artists. The events which were organised by Paul McCartney and Kurt Waldheim were aimed to raise money for the victims of war-torn Cambodia.

1979 - Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd’s The Wall was at No.1 on the US album chart. (The album spent a total of 15 weeks at No.1 during a 35-week stay on the chart). The Wall also spent a total of 5 weeks at No.1 on the UK chart. Largely a vanity project pf Waters' who must be the only person who can say why this dreadfully childlike conception caught on so.

1998 - Spice Girls

The Spice Girls scored their 8th UK No.1 single with 'Goodbye', (the first single without Geri Halliwell). It gave the group the Christmas No.1 for the third year in a row equaling the record set by The Beatles from 1963, 64 and 65.

1999 - Curtis Mayfield

American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter Curtis Mayfield died aged 57. He was a member of The Impressions, (1965 US No.7 single 'Lilies Of The Field') and solo, (1971 UK No.12 single 'Move On Up', 1972 US No.4 single 'Freddie's Dead, Theme From Superfly').

2007 - Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse's second album ‘Back to Black’ was named as the biggest-selling album of the year. Released at the end of 2006 the album had now sold more than 1.5m copies in the UK, achieving five platinum sales awards, Winehouse was also nominated for six Grammys including song of the year. 

2012 - Fontella Bass

Fontella Bass, the US female singer, pianist, who had the 1965 US No.4 and UK No.11 single 'Rescue Me' died of complications following a heart attack aged 72.

2017 - Jim Burns

Jim Burns, the co-creator of MTV's iconic MTV Unplugged series, famous for hosting shows by artists as diverse as Eric Clapton, 10,000 Maniacs, Tony Bennett, Nirvana, Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan, died at the age of 65. He was struck by a taxi while crossing Fifth Avenue in Manhattan three days earlier walking with his seeing-eye dog near his Upper East Side home.

BIRTHDAYS

1939 - Phil Spector

Phil Spector, producer, 'The Spector Wall Of Sound’. Legendary eccentric Spector was a member of Teddy Bears, who had the 1958 US No.1 single 'To Know Him Is To Love Him'. He went on to produce many classic songs including; Ben E King, 'Spanish Harlem', The Crystals, 'Da Doo Ron Ron', The Ronettes, 'Baby I Love You', The Righteous Brothers, 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling', Ike and Tina Turner, 'River Deep, Mountain High'. Also produced albums for The Ramones, John Lennon, George Harrison, The Beatles, Cher and Harry Nilsson. The 2003 shooting of actress Lana Clarkson in his Alhambra, California home led to his 2009 conviction of murder in the second degree. He is serving a prison sentence of 19 years to life.

Phil and wife Ronnie

Phil with John and Cynthia Lennon

Phil and George

Phil in court with a nice choice in wig

I wonder what Lana saw in the multi-millionaire?

Spector today

1935 - Abdul Fakir

Abdul 'Duke' Fakir, The Four Tops, (1965 US No.1 single 'I Can't Help Myself', 1967 UK No.6 single 'Standing In The Shadows of Love'). Perhaps my first experience of an Arabic sounding name they fascinated me and were ubiquitous at the time for a number of soul classics. 

with thanks and acknowledgments to On This Day In Music