ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

January 7th

1955 - Bill Haley

'Rock Around the Clock' by Bill Haley and his Comets, entered the UK chart for the first time. The original full title of the song was 'We're Gonna Rock Around the Clock Tonight!' and is often cited as the biggest-selling vinyl rock and roll single of all time with sales over 25m. This is a classic illustration how music seeps into consciousness. I was two when this came out and distinctly recall the 78 of this playing on an old wind up record player along with some other 78's that my parents had of Paul Robeson and the like but it must have been my brother Steve who much later brought a copy into the house. 

Various classical pieces of music haunt my earliest memories too. Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto in B flat ( the first classical concert I ever went to with school) at the Sheldonian Theatre here in Oxford for solo piano, Mussorgsky's Pictures at An Exhibition, the William Tell Overture by Rossini, Mahler and Beethoven, Bach and Mozart something was always playing in the house and I believe they all affected me profoundly. 

1964 - The Beatles

The Beatles recorded a seven-song appearance for the BBC Radio program Saturday Club. They played ‘All My Loving’, ‘Money’, ‘The Hippy Hippy Shake’, ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’, ‘Roll Over Beethoven’, ‘Johnny B. Goode’, and ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’. The show was broadcast on February 15, while the Beatles were in the US.

1964 - Cyril Davies

English blues musician Cyril Davies died of leukaemia aged 32. Davies was a driving force in the early Sixties blues movement forming Blues Incorporated with Alexis Korner. Davies and Korner opened a London Rhythm and Blues club "England's First and Bestest Skiffle Club", later known as the "London Blues and Barrelhouse Club". Popular with other musicians, the club hosted gigs by blues musicians such as Muddy Waters, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee and Memphis Slim.

From 'Hulabaloo' . . . . . . . 

Got My Mojo Working . . . again with Long John and the Velvettes

1970 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin kicked off an 8-date UK tour at Birmingham Town Hall. The set list included: I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed And Confused, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Whole Lotta Love and Communication Breakdown.

1971 - Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath released 'Paranoid' their second studio album in the US. The album features the band's best-known signature songs, including the title track, 'Iron Man' and 'War Pigs'. The album was originally titled War Pigs, but allegedly the record company changed it to Paranoid, fearing backlash from supporters of the ongoing Vietnam War.

1972 - David Bowie

David Bowie released 'Changes' as a single in the UK. The track peaked at No.49 on the UK chart and later at No.41 on the US chart. This was the last song Bowie performed live on stage before his retirement from live performances at the end of 2006 when he joined Alicia Keys at the Black Ball fundraiser at New York's Hammersmith Ballroom.

1980 - Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd released 'Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)' in the US. The single peaked at No.1 on both the US and UK charts, giving Pink Floyd their first and only No.1 hit single. The single went to No.1 in many other countries, including Australia, Germany and Italy.

1980 - Hugh Cornwell

Hugh Cornwall of The Stranglers was found guilty of possession of heroin, cocaine and cannabis. He was fined £300 ($510) and sentenced to two months in Pentonville prison.

1981 - The Police

The Police played the first night of a North American tour at The University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada during their Zenyatta Mondatta World Tour.

1994 - Oasis

Oasis started recording their debut album Definitely Maybe at Monnow Valley Studio in South Wales. When released in August 1994, it became the fastest selling debut album of all time in the UK, (being surpassed in 2006 by Arctic Monkeys debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not). The album went on to sell over 12 million copies worldwide.

2001 - James Carr

American rhythm and blues and soul singer James Carr died aged 58. After being turned down by Stax, he made his first recordings for Goldwax Records in 1964. He released several singles for the label before achieving his first success in 1966, when ‘You've Got My Mind Messed Up’ reached No.7 on the Billboard R&B chart. He went on to have singles like 'Dark End Of The Street' a favourite song of mine. A life long early sufferer fo what we now understand to be bipolar disorder he suffered poor mental health the rest of his life and lived for the most part being looked after by his sister.  Largely considered to be "one of the greatest pure vocalists that deep Southern soul ever produced."
*James Carr Biography

2003 - The Beatles

The Beatles Book Monthly closed down after 40 years. Author Sean O'Mahony who set up the magazine in 1963 said there was nothing more to say as the number of things the former Beatles were doing gets less and less as the years go on.

2004 - John Guerin

Drummer John Guerin died of pneumonia aged 64. Worked with Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa, Linda Rondstadt, Gram Parsons, Todd Rundgren. He also played on the original title tune for the television series Hawaii Five-O.

2006 - Pink

Pink married her motocross racer boyfriend Carey Hart on a beach in Costa Rica. More than 100 people attended the singer's big day, including Lisa-Marie Presley. Pink proposed to him during one of his races in Mammoth Lakes, California, by holding up a sign that read "Will you marry me?" Hart pulled out of the race to say yes. Lucky Dawg you!

BIRTHDAYS

1944 - Mike McGear

Mike McGear, singer, brother of Paul McCartney, The Scaffold, (1968 Christmas UK No.1 single 'Lily The Pink').

1942 - Danny Williams

Danny Williams, singer, (1961 UK No. 1 'Moon River', the Oscar-winning song was from the film Breakfast At Tiffany's).

1937 - Paul Revere

Paul Revere, keyboards, Paul Revere and the Raiders, (1971 US No.1 single 'Indian Reservation', plus 14 other US Top 30 hit singles. He died on 4th Oct 2014.
truly awful band . . . . . . 

how bad?
this bad . . . . . . . . 


with thanks to 'On This Day in Music' as ever . . . .