ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

December 27th

1960 - The Beatles

The Beatles appeared at Litherland Town Hall Ballroom in Liverpool. Added to the bill at the last minute, The Beatles were not advertised to appear, so banners had been pasted onto advertising posters, saying "Direct From Hamburg, The Beatles!" Since The Beatles were playing in an area they'd only played in once before, most of the audience assumes they were a German group.

1963 - Lennon and McCartney

The music critics from the UK newspaper The Times, named John Lennon and Paul McCartney as The Outstanding Composers of 1963. Two days later, the Sunday Times' music critic Richard Buckle proclaims the same two songwriters "the greatest composers since Beethoven."

1967 - The Doors

The Doors appeared on the Jonathon Winters Show CBS TV show from Los Angeles, California.

1969 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin II was at No.1 on the US album charts, (the band's first album to reach No.1 on charts in the UK and the US), it went on to sell over six million copies in the US alone. The album's cover designer David Juniper was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package.

1975 - Queen

Queen started a two-week run at No.1 on the UK chart with A Night At The Opera, the group's first No.1 album.

1975 - Rod Stewart

The Faces split became official. Rod Stewart had severed all connections with the group to work as a solo artist, Ronnie Wood was on permanent loan to the Stones, Ronnie Lane went on to form Slim Chance and drummer Kenny Jones joined The Who.

1976 - Freddie King

Blues guitarist Freddie King died of heart trouble and ulcers aged 42. Eric Clapton covered his 'Have You Ever Loved A Woman' on his Layla album. Major influence on British and American blues-rock musicians such as Jimmy Vaughan, Ronnie Earl, Peter Green and Eric Clapton.

1980 - John Lennon

John and Yoko's Double Fantasy album started an eight-week run at No.1 on the US chart. 'Just Like Starting Over' started a five-week stay at No.1 on the singles chart.

1986 - Jackie Wilson

Jackie Wilson had the UK Christmas No.1 single with 'Reet Petite' two years after Wilson's death, following its use in a commercial for Levi's. Written in 1957 by Berry Gordy and Tyran Carlo, the success of the song helped Gordy fund the launch of Motown Records.

1989 - Chuck Berry

A former chef, Hosanna Huck, at the Chuck Berry owned restaurant Southern Air started court proceedings against Berry alleging that the singer had installed secret video cameras in the ladies toilets. A further 200 other women also took action claiming that the recordings were used for "improper sexual fetishes"(what are proper sexual fetishes?). It cost him some $1.3million to wriggle free from that tasty little incident though he admitted being aware of said cameras he denied all knowledge of how they got there!

1997 - Spice Girls

The Spice Girls went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Too Much'. The group set another new world record as their first six singles all made No.1.

2005 - Axel F

It was announced that ‘Crazy Frog’ by Axel F was the best selling UK ringtone of 2005. ‘Tweet Tweet’ by Sweetie Chick was the second and ‘(Is This The Way To) Amarillo’ by Tony Christie and Peter Kay for Comic Relief was the third biggest seller. The UK ringtone market was now worth more than double the value of the CD singles sales.

2008 - The Allman Brothers Band

Thieves broke into a house belonging to The Allman Brothers Band singer and keyboardist Gregg Allman in Georgia and stole a coin collection, knives and unreleased concert recordings. Two men where charged with the burglary two days later.

2008 - Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift started a seven-week run at No.1 on the US album charts with 'Fearless'. As of 2013, Swift had sold over 26 million albums and 75 million digital single downloads worldwide. Forbes estimates that she is worth over $220 million.

2008 - Delaney Bramlett

Singer, songwriter, guitarist, Delaney Bramlett died in Los Angeles from complications after gall bladder surgery. Was a member of Delaney, Bonnie & Friends and worked with George Harrison, The Everly Brothers, John Lennon, Janis Joplin, J.J. Cale, and Eric Clapton.

BIRTHDAYS

1972 - Matt Slocum

Matt Slocum, guitarist, keyboards, Sixpence None The Richer, (1999 UK No.4 single, 'Kiss Me', 1999 US No.8 single 'There She Goes').

1942 - Mike Heron

Mike Heron, The Incredible String Band, UK folk group, (1967 album 'The 5000 Spirits or The Layers Of The Onion).
I always try to find some excuse to play this at this time of year from Mike's excellent  'Smiling Men with Bad Reputations' as it is a seasonal favourite . . . . . . 'Feast of Stephen'  interestingly the first christian protomartyr, St Stephen, who's patron day is the day before Mike's birthday (26th December)

1941 - Mike Pinder

Mike Pinder, Keyboards with English rock band The Moody Blues who had the 1965 UK No.1 & US No.10 single 'Go Now' and the hits singles including 'Go Now' sung by band member Denny Laine later of 'Wings', the classic and ubiquitous 'Nights in White Satin' and 'Question'.

with thanks and acknowledgments to On This Day In Music