ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

December 21st

1967 - The Beatles

The Beatles held a party at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London to preview their new movie ‘Magical Mystery Tour’.Magical Mystery Tour was a 1967 British surreal comedy television film created by, produced by, and starring the Beatles  which originally aired on BBC1 on Boxing Day, 26 December 1967, in a B&W transmission at 8:35 PM. It was repeated in a colour transmission on BBC2 on 5 January 1968."When it came out originally on British television, it was a colour film but shown in black and white, because they didn’t have colour on BBC1 in those days. So it looked awful and was a disaster." The film had a repeated showing, this time broadcast in colour, on BBC2 only a few days later, but there were only about 200,000 colour TV receivers in the entire UK at the time. I watched it twice both times in Black & white as we didn't have a colour tele (sic) and I still love it to this day. Starring an assortment of odd eccentric very British actors and characters from poet Ivor Cutler (who's song 'I'm Going in a Field' was cut from the final edit) rubber man comedian Nat Jackley and the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. Traffic were also recorded performing 'Here We go Round the Mulberry Bush' but this too was cut from the final edit.

1967 - Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd appeared at the Speakeasy Club, London, England. Situated at 48 Margaret Street in the centre of London, the Speakeasy was a late-night haunt for the music industry from 1966 right up to to the late 1970s. It was managed by Laurie O'Leary (a lifelong friend of the Kray twins) from 1968 to 1977 and Roy Flynn, who was also the first manager of Yes

1970 - Elvis Presley (Narc)

Of course they humoured Presley and whilst he carried the badge and for the rest of his life, it was worthless as no such Dept existed and it had no real power whatsoever 

A stretch limousine carrying Elvis Presley pulled up outside the White House in Washington, D.C. The driver handed over a letter from Elvis addressed to President Nixon requesting a meeting to discuss how the King of Rock and Roll could help Nixon fight drugs. The President agreed to give Presley a Narcotics Bureau badge - but only after learning that the chief of the narcotics bureau had turned down the same request earlier that day and told Presley the only person who could overrule his decision was the President. At Elvis' request, the meeting remained secret for more than a year, until the Washington Post broke the story on January 27th, 1972. Appart from humouring the fading rock star he made classic mistake and had brought Nixon a present one WWII Commemorative Edition pistol from Elvis' own personal collection. You can't really bring guns into the Whitehouse but Presley didn't really think that should have included him!

"The narc badge represented some kind of ultimate power to him," Priscilla Presley wrote in "Elvis and Me," her memoir of life with the King. "With the federal narcotics badge, he [believed he] could legally enter any country both wearing guns and carrying any drugs he wished."

1974 - Mud

Mud were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the Chinn & Chapman song 'Lonely This Christmas'. The group's second No.1 and third chart topper for Chinn & Chapman in 1974.

1991 - Freddie Mercury

'Bohemian Rhapsody - These Are The Days Of Our Lives' by Queen started a five week run at No.1 in the UK, the 1975 word-wide hit had been re-released following the death of Freddie Mercury. 

1992 - Albert King

American blues singer and guitarist, Albert King died from a heart attack in Memphis, Tennessee. He recorded dozens of influential songs, such as 'Crosscut Saw' and 'As The Years Go Passing By', and the 1967 album, 'Born Under a Bad Sign.'


1996 - Knockin' on Heaven's Door

The charity record 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door' went to No.1 on the UK singles chart. With the consent of Bob Dylan musician Ted Christopher of Dunblane, Scotland wrote a new verse for the song in memory of the schoolchildren and teacher killed in the Dunblane massacre. The cover version of the song included brothers and sisters of the victims singing the chorus and Mark Knopfler on guitar.

2003 - Gary Jules

Michael Andrews feat Gary Jules went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with their version of the Tears For Fears song 'Mad World.' The song took just 90 minutes to record in 2001 and was featured in the film 'Donnie Darko.'

2005 - Elton John

Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish became the first gay celebrities to register their relationship as a civil partnership. The 20 minute ceremony took place at The Guild Hall, Windsor, England, guest’s included Ringo Starr, Victoria Beckham, Joss Stone, Sting, Elvis Costello, Jamie Cullum, George Michael and The Osbournes - Ozzy, Sharon, Jack and Kelly.

2008 - Alexandra Burke

The 2008 X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke started a three week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Hallelujah'. The song was written by Leonard Cohen, and his version charted at the same time, and Jeff Buckley's cover reached No 2, just being held off by Alexandra. Three versions of the same song were in the chart at once, something not seen since the 1950s. Burke didn't like the song and professed to not understanding it but then I suspect most people didn't understand what they're singing either. Both Rufus Wainwright and John Cale covered it and it was Cale who rearranged the original that Buckley based his version upon. Cale, Buckley, Wainright and indeed Cohen himself all did excellent versions based upon Cale's arrangement.

2010 - Kings of Leon

A concert by Kings of Leon was postponed after a fire broke out on two of their tour buses which were parked at The O2 arena in London. The blaze began on one coach before spreading to another tour bus in the loading bay of the venue in Greenwich. About 60 firefighters were at the scene and ambulance crews treated six people for smoke inhalation. An O2 spokesman said the fire meant there was not enough time to rig the arena for the sell-out concert. Okay okay what have you boys been doing on that bus?!

2012 - Ronnie Wood

Rolling Stones guitarist, 65-year-old Ronnie Wood married his fiancee Sally Humphreys during a private ceremony in London. Keith Richards, Rod Stewart and Paul McCartney all attended the wedding.

2012 - Psy

'Gangnam Style' by South Korean musician Psy became the first YouTube video to reach a billion views. By the end of 2012, the song had topped the music charts of more than 30 countries. . . . . . oh must I?

apparently I must 

2012 - Paul Simon

Paul Simon performed his classic track The Sound of Silence at the funeral of a teacher who died in the school shooting in Connecticut on 14 December of this year. The 1966 song was understood to be a favourite of 27-year-old Victoria Soto, a first-grade teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The singer, a family friend, performed the song in front of some 400 mourners, at Soto's local church on Wednesday. Twenty six people were killed in the mass shooting the previous week.


2014 - Elton John

Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish formally converted their civil partnership to a marriage hosting a ceremony at their Windsor estate in Berkshire. David and Victoria Beckham, Ed Sheeran, Lulu and actor David Walliams were among the guests.

BIRTHDAYS

1946 - Carl Wilson

Carl Wilson, American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. He performed lead vocals on several of their hits, including 'God Only Knows' (1966) and 'Good Vibrations' (1966). Wilson died on 6th February 1998 after a long battle with lung cancer.

1943 - Albert Lee

Albert Lee, UK guitarist known for his fingerstyle and hybrid picking technique. Lee is a legend and session player without equal.  Worked with Emmylou Harris Hot Band, Eric Clapton, Jackson Browne, Joe Cocker and Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds after leaving Farlowe to pursue more country sounds he performed with Head Hand and Feet and perhaps his longest stint with Emmylou Harris' Hot Band. He has also maintained a solo career and is a noted composer and musical director. The first Chris Farlowe album I bought was on Marble Arch and included a classic song from a jam session between takes of 'Stormy Monday Pats I & II and featured Albert on guitar from then to Country Boy and his work with Emmylou I have continued to be a fan of the legendary guitarist.

1940 - Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa multi instrumentalist, producer and composer. Recorded with The Mothers Of Invention and solo, 1969 album 'Hot Rats', 1974 album 'Apostrophe', featuring 'Don't Eat The Yellow Snow'. First band was The Blackouts, recorded one of the first concept albums 'Freak Out'. Zappa died of prostate cancer on 4th December 1993.



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