HANS THEESSINK

I am somewhat ashamed to say I hadn't heard of Hans Theessink but he featured in a Facebook group I belong to dedicated to Ry Cooder as the chosen artist of the week. I happened to mention that I also had no idea Terry Evans played the guitar in response to a video posted there and Hans himself replied almost immediately to say "Terry composed on the guitar - he had a total unorthodox style of playing - great groove" I was so struck by this I thought I should really post more of Hans' superb work here. Mind you anyone who can play with Ry and have Terry sit in you might know he is a brilliant player . . . . . . .

In good company here . . . . 

Hans and Terry released an album back in 2012 with a featured guest . . . . . . . Ry hisself!




another here from 2015

Hans' albums on Amazon UK here . . . . . .

Check Hans' wiki entry here . . . .

Hans' website here

ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

December 29th

1962 - Bob Dylan

During his first visit to the UK Bob Dylan performed at The Troubadour in London.

The angelic Bob Dylan at The Troubador 1962 (BBC)

1964 - The Beatles

The Liverpool Youth Employment Service announced that some school leavers were finding it difficult to get jobs because their 'Beatle' style haircuts and clothing were unacceptable to employers. I was quizzed at school by the Headmistress over my long hair about getting a job and said 'Well you could just cut it and then grow it back when you got the job." She was apoplectic with rage. Accused me of being "immoral" and, the point lost on me, I said I really didn't care and anyone who didn't like my long hair could go whistle and I wouldn't want to work for them anyway. She went purple! Sent me out of class to the headmasters office. Curiously it turned out I was right!

1966 - Paul McCartney

Working at Abbey Road studios, London, Paul McCartney began work on his new song ‘Penny Lane’, recording six takes of keyboard tracks and various percussion effects. The song's title is derived from the name of a street near John Lennon's house, in the band's hometown, Liverpool. McCartney and Lennon would meet at Penny Lane junction in the Mossley Hill area to catch a bus into the centre of the city.

1966 - Jimi Hendrix

The Jimi Hendrix Experience made their debut on the UK TV show Top Of The Pops performing 'Hey Joe'. They were live then . . . . . . 

1967 - Dave Mason

British guitarist and singer Dave Mason quit Traffic after differences of musical opinion. Mason wrote 'Hole in My Shoe', a psychedelic pop song that became a hit in for Traffic in 1967.

1980 - Tim Hardin

American singer, songwriter Tim Hardin died of a heroin overdose. Hardin wrote the songs 'If I Were A Carpenter' (covered by Bobby Darin, Johnny Cash and June Carter, The Four Tops, Leon Russell, Small Faces, Robert Plant and Bob Seger,) and 'Reason To Believe', (covered by Rod Stewart). Hardin appeared at the 1969 Woodstock Festival.

1999 - Spice Girls

Three ferrets (no really!) named Beckham, Posh Spice and Baby Spice were used to lay power cables for a rock concert being held in Greenwich, London, England, (workers were not allowed to dig up the turf at the Royal Park). Organizers found that rods could not push the cables through the tiny tunnels, which frequently bend and dog-leg. The ferrets were eased into tiny nylon harnesses with wires which where then attached to a rope, the animals ran into a series of ducts which were under the stage like rabbit runs, leading the cables with them. The ferrets instinctively make for any hole in the ground and are enticed to the end of the duct by a slab of smelly meat. The New Years Eve concert featured Simply Red, Eurythmics and Bryan Ferry.

2001 - Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin was suing a US newspaper which alleged that the star had alcohol problems. The singer's lawyers filed a federal lawsuit against the Florida-based Star claiming she was defamed by an article in the paper in December 2000 and were seeking $50m (£35m) in damages.

in 2017

2010 - Bon Jovi

Pollstar reported that Bon Jovi were the highest earning touring act of the year, taking in over $200 million (£130.7m). Australian rockers AC/DC landed at number two for the second year in a row, with tickets sales from their recent trek totaling $177m (£115m). U2 which was the top worldwide act in 2009, came in at third place, with ticket sales totaling $160.9m (£104.6m). Lady Gaga followed in fourth place, with Metallica at number five.

BIRTHDAYS

1951 - Yvonne Elliman

Yvonne Elliman, singer, 1978 US No.1 & UK No.4 single 'If I Can't Have You', also worked with Eric Clapton.

1948 - Charlie Spinosa

Charlie Spinosa, from John Fred and His Playboy Band who had the 1968 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)' which was a parodic play on the title of The Beatles' song 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds'. WE assumed it was more reverential than maybe it actually was but being so young we did find it funny! . . . . . . this WAS the time of The Archies 'Sugar Sugar' remember coming from America so this knowing smart arse pop was at least clever (or so we thought)

1947 - Cozy Powell

English rock drummer Cozy Powell [Colin Flooks], who worked with The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, Gary Moore, Robert Plant, Brian May, Whitesnake, Emerson, Lake & Powell and Black Sabbath. Powell scored the 1973 solo UK No. 3 hit single 'Dance With The Devil'. Powell was killed in a car crash in England on 5 April 1998. According to a report, at the time of the crash Powell's blood-alcohol reading was over the legal limit, and he was not wearing a seat belt, and was talking with his girlfriend on his mobile phone at the time of the crash.

1946 - Marianne Faithfull

English singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull and one time girlfriend of Mick Jagger. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single 'As Tears Go By' (written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham). Later she had strong chart interest and new following with 'Ballad Of Lucy Jordan' Faithfull also wrote three books about her life: Faithfull: An Autobiography (1994), Memories, Dreams & Reflections (2007), and Marianne Faithfull: A Life on Record (2014). She has just released her 21st album 'Negative Capability' after some 50 years in the music business . . . . . we like her!

Marianne here . . . .

1942 - Rick Danko

Canadian musician, bassist, songwriter and singer, Rick Danko, member of The Hawks ( Ronnie Hawkins's backing group), and The Band who went on to release ten studio albums. Bob Dylan hired them for his US tour in 1965 and world tour in 1966. Danko died on 10th December 1999 due to heart failure, arising from years of alcoholism, drug addiction and weight gain.

The All Starr Band (check the line up)

1941 - Ray Thomas

Ray Thomas, English musician, best known as a flautist, singer and composer 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', 'Nights in White Satin' and 'Question'. Thomas died on 4 January 2018 six days after his 76th birthday.

with thanks and acknowledgments to On This Day In Music

ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

December 28th

1968 - The Beatles

The Beatles went to No.1 on the US album chart with the The White Album the group's 12th US No.1 album. A double album, its plain white sleeve has no graphics or text other than the band's name embossed and numbered originally making mockery of the artworld's limited edition, designed with Richard Hamilton and Paul McCartney's influence whose burgeoning interest in the art world had already produced the Sgt Pepper collaboration with Peter Blake and Jan Haworth. The plain White Album cover which was intended as a direct contrast to the vivid cover artwork of the band's earlier Sgt. Pepper's although it's contents inside the sleeve produced a lavish collage poster by Hamilton and individual portrait photographs of the boys by John Kelly.  No singles were issued from the album in Britain and the United States, the songs 'Hey Jude' and 'Revolution' originated from the same recording sessions and were issued on a single in August 1968.

Richard Hamilton on The White Album

1968 - Miami Pop Festival

The three day Miami Pop festival took place, the first major rock festival held on the East Coast of the US, with The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Chuck Berry, The McCoys, Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac, Marvin Gaye, The Turtles, The Box Tops, Steppenwolf, Three Dog Night, Pacific Gas and Electric, Procol Harum, Canned Heat, Iron Butterfly and The Grateful Dead.

Jimi at Miami Pop '68

Jerry G at Miami Pop '68

1968 - Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd appeared at the two day festival , The Netherlands, (replacing The Jimi Hendrix Experience). Other acts appearing included Jethro Tull, Jeff Beck, The Pretty Things and The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.

1971 - George Harrison

George Harrison was 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.

1974 - Helen Reddy

Helen Reddy went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Angie Baby', the singers third US No.1. The song was turned down by Cher.

1978 - The Rolling Stones

Rolling Stone magazine voted Some Girls by The Rolling Stones 'Album of the Year.' The cover designed by Peter Corriston, featured The Rolling Stones in garish drag alongside select female celebrities and lingerie ads. The cover immediately ran into trouble when Lucille Ball, Farrah Fawcett, Liza Minnelli (representing her mother Judy Garland), Raquel Welch, and the estate of Marilyn Monroe who all threatened legal action.

1983 - Dennis Wilson

Having made two successful dives below a friend’s yacht to find items he’d drunkenly thrown off his own boat three years before, The Beach Boys Dennis Wilson took one last dive into the Pacific and never returned from the boat moored in Marina Del Rey, California. With the help of President Reagan he was given a burial at sea, normally reserved for Naval personnel. Dennis was the only genuine surfer in The Beach Boys.

1993 - Shania Twain

Canadian singer Shania Twain married record producer Mutt Lange. The couple separated in 2008 after 14 years of marriage.

1998 - Massive Attack

UK radio station BBC Radio 1 aired the 100 National Anthems, songs voted by listeners. At No.5 Radiohead, 'Creep', No.4 Underworld 'Born Slippy', No.3 The Verve 'Bitter Sweet Symphony', No.2 Nirvana 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' No.1 Massive Attack 'Unfinished Sympathy'.

2011 - Sinead O'Connor

Sinead O’Connor announced the end of her marriage to therapist Barry Herridge after only 16 days. O'Connor admitted that they had "made a mistake rushing into getting married". This was the Irish singers fourth marriage.

2015 - Lemmy

Lemmy, lead vocalist and bassist with Motörhead died at his home in Los Angeles, California, four days after his 70th birthday following a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer. Lemmy played in several rock groups in the 1960s, including the Rockin' Vickers and worked as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix and The Nice, before joining the space rock band Hawkwind in 1971, singing lead on their hit 'Silver Machine'.

BIRTHDAYS

1950 - Alex Chilton

Alex Chilton, guitar, vocals, with The Box Tops who had the 1967 US No.1 & UK No.5 single 'The Letter'. He formed Big Star in 1971. In the 1980s both R.E.M., and The Replacements cited Big Star group as a major influence. Chilton died in hospital of heart problems in New Orleans on March 17th 2010 aged 59. Today he would have only been 69.

1943 - Chas Hodges

English musician and singer Chas Hodges, who had worked with British producer Joe Meek as a session musician, backing Jerry Lee Lewis and Gene Vincent. Hodges later joined Heads Hands and Feet, (with guitarist Albert Lee). With Chas & Dave he scored the 1982 UK No.2 single 'Ain't No Pleasing You'. He also played piano for short-lived supergroup the Rockers, which featured Roy Wood, Phil Lynott and John Coghlan. He died from pneumonia on 22 September 2018, aged 74.

1938 - Charles Neville

Charles Neville, saxaphone, The Neville Brothers, (1989 UK No.47 single 'With God On Our Side').The second oldest of the four Neville brothers, Charles was born in New Orleans on Dec. 28, 1938 to Arthur Lanon Neville Sr. and Amelia (Landry) Neville and was raised in the Calliope housing project with his musical brothers, Art, Aaron, and Cyril. Their uncle, George "Big Chief Jolly" Landry, was lead singer of the Mardi Gras Indian group The Wild Tchoupitoulas. Charles left home when he was 15 to play saxophone with the Rabbit’s Foot Minstrel Show.

1921 - Johnny Otis

Johnny Otis, (1957 UK No.2 single 'Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me', 1958 US No.9 single 'Willie And The Hand Jive').

1915 - Roebuck 'Pop' Staples

Roebuck 'Pop' Staples, vocals, The Staple Singers, (1975 US No.1 single 'Let's Do It Again'). Died 19th December 2000.

with thanks and acknowledgments to On This Day In Music