ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

January 2nd

1926 - The Melody Maker

The first issue of The Melody Maker went on sale priced at 3d. The monthly magazine was for 'all who are interested in the production of popular music'. In the first issue, Dance Band news, a feature on Ukuleles and how to read music by sight. Advertisements in Melody Maker helped assemble the line-ups of a number of major bands, including: The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Supertramp and The Stranglers. Later on I would buy Melody Maker regularly alongside N.M.E (New Musical Express) Sounds (occasionally) as well as magazines later like Streetlife, Rolling Stone (depending upon who featured) Uncut, Wired, and several others but the newspaper format was a regular feature and still much missed. The last issue was published in December 2000

1969 - John Lennon

The entire shipment of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's album 'Two Virgins' was seized by authorities in New Jersey due to the full frontal nude photograph of the couple on the cover. The album was eventually wrapped in plain brown paper in record stores. 

Back side . . . .

John's drawing of Two Virgins

Two Virgins  - censored version

well quite . . . . . . George sums up

1969 - The Beatles

Filming began at Twickenham studios in England of The Beatles rehearsing for the 'Let It Be' album. The project ran into several problems including George Harrison walking out on the group on January 10th.

1971 - George Harrison

The George Harrison album 'All Things Must Pass' started a seven week run at No.1 on the US album chart, making Harrison the first solo Beatle to score a US No.1 album. The triple album included the hit singles 'My Sweet Lord' and 'What Is Life', as well as songs such as 'Isn't It a Pity' and the title track that were turned down by The Beatles.

1979 - Sid Vicious

Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious went on trial in New York accused of murdering his girlfriend Nancy Spungen three months earlier, when he claimed to have awoken from a drugged stupor to find Spungen dead on the bathroom floor of their room in the Hotel Chelsea in Manhattan, New York.

Nancy's body is carried from the Chelsea Hotel

Sid arrested

Sid illustrates the nature of the problem

Headline news

1980 - Larry Williams

US singer Larry Williams was found dead from a gunshot wound to his head in his Los Angeles, California home aged 45. Williams had the 1957 US No.5 & UK No. 21 single 'Short Fat Fannie.' Also known for 'Bony Moronie' and 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy.' The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Dr. Feelgood, Flying Burrito Brothers, Johnny Winter, Little Richard, The Who, Ritchie Valens and Bill Haley& His Comets all covered his songs.

1985 - Ron Wood

Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood married his girlfriend Jo Woodin Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, England. Guests included Keith Richard, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck. The couple divorced in 2009.

1997 - Randy California

Guitarist Randy California from US group Spirit drowned when rescuing his 12-year old son when he was sucked into a riptide in surf off Hawaii.

2005 - Green Day

Green Day were at No.1 on the UK album chart with their seventh album 'American Idiot.' The album went on to be nominated for seven Grammy Awards, winning the Best Rock Album of 2005.


2007 - Kylie Minogue

Kylie Minogue played the first of two nights at Wembley Arena in London during her re-scheduled Showgirl world tour. The tour was postponed last year after Kylie was diagnosed with breast cancer, for which the singer had since received treatment. I have said before and risk the perpetual ire of Minogue fans but fear she cannot sing and needs either an operation or training to avoid singing through her nose and adenoids as opposed to her diaphragm where she should be singing from. 
Pretty though ain't she? (great with the sound down)

2007 - George Harrison

Cristin Keleher who once broke into former Beatle George Harrison's Hawaii home was found dead after an apparent murder-suicide in California, aged 34. She made headlines in December 1999 by entering Harrison's Maui estate and then cooking herself a frozen pizza. Police said her body had been found with that of a 48-year-old man in a car, both had gunshot wounds to their heads. A sad end to a sad story

George and Keleher

Keleher and George's Hawaiian retreat

2007 - Gnarls Barkley

Gnarls Barkley's song 'Crazy' was confirmed as the biggest selling UK single of 2006 selling over 700,000 copies. The track, which was the first to reach number one on downloads alone, held off the challenge of X-factor winner Leone. Snow Patrol's album 'Eyes Open' topped the album chart with estimated sales of 1.5m while Take That's comeback release 'Beautiful World' came in just behind. Singles sales had doubled to over 65m since the download chart was launched in September 2004.


2008 - Josh Groban

Josh Groban was America's top selling artist of 2007, the 26-year-old whose hits included 'You Raise Me Up', had the best-selling album of the year with the Christmas compilation Noel, which sold close to 3.7m copies.  He must be nice check out his list of girlfriends! It includes January Jones, Katy Perry and my favourite American comic actress Kat Dennings

Mr Niceguy

2009 - AC/DC

According to official US sales figures AC/DC were the biggest sellers of 2008 with over 3.4m sales. To promote the groups latest album Black Ice, Columbia Records created "Rock Again AC/DC Stores" as well as "Black Ice" trucks which were dispatched on the streets of New York and Los Angeles playing AC/DC music aloud and making various stops each day to sell merchandise.

BIRTHDAYS

1963 - Keith Gregory

Keith Gregory, bassist from British indie rock group The Wedding Present. During 1992 they released one single every month giving them 12 Top 30 hits, making them the only group to score more than 10 new hits in one year.

David Gedge

1967 - Robert Gregory

Robert Gregory, drummer from British indie band Babybird, who had the 996 UK No.3 single ‘You’re Gorgeous’, and the 1996 UK No. 9 album Ugly Beautiful.

1936 - Roger Miller

Roger Miller singer, guitarist and TV star. (1965 UK No.1 & US No.4 single 'King Of The Road'). He won four Grammy awards in 1965 including Best Country & Western Album. Roger died of lung cancer on October 25th 1991, aged 56. Scottish duo The Proclaimers had the 1990 UK No.9 hit with their version of 'King Of The Road.'