bmusic - Newsletter No. 135

In 1955, Bill Haley & the Comets turned down their first invitation to tour outside of the U.S. because of a fear of flying. The Australian offer of US$2,000 for 15 dates wasn't enough to get them on a plane.

In 1956, Elvis Presley shared the spoils of his success with his mother by buying her a pink Cadillac.

In 1958, George Harrison joined John Lennon and Paul McCartney in Liverpool group The Quarrymen.

In 1959, in the wake of the stabbing deaths of two teenagers by a 17 year old and other similar incidents of violence in New York City, WCBS radio banned all versions of "Mack the Knife." The Bobby Darin tune was climbing the charts at the time.

In 1962, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr began recording together for the first time at EMI's St. John Studio. They recorded 6 songs including "Love Me Do" and "P.S., I Love You". George Martin had the boys redo "Love Me Do" 16 times.

In 1964, US magazine Billboard reported that guitar sales in the US and UK had hit a peak due to the British Invasion genre of rock. Guitar sales hadn't been as high since Elvis Presley popularised the instrument again in 1957.

In 1965, The Who had their equipment van stolen outside the Battersea Dog's Home in England while they were inside the Home purchasing a guard dog.

In 1967, guitarist Boz Scaggs joined San Francisco based Steve Miller Band. Scaggs stayed with the group through two albums ("Children of the Future" and "Sailor") before heading out on a solo career in 1969.

In 1968, The Rolling Stones latest single, "Street Fighting Man" was banned in Chicago and other American cities when authorities feared it might "incite riots and other forms of public disorder."

In 1968, Fleetwood Mac added 18 year old guitarist Danny Kirwin to its line-up. Kirwin joined Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer.

In 1970, Genesis advertised in "Melody Maker" magazine for a new drummer. The ad was answered by Phil Collins, who eventually joined the group.

In 1970, at the Palermo Pop '70 Festival in Italy, Arthur Brown from "Crazy World of.." was arrested and put in solitary confinement for four days after he set fire to his helmet and stripped naked during his stage performance. The audience threw all sorts of things at him. While in solitary, he was given a note signed by over 200 locals telling him to get out of Italy and stay out.

In 1971, the Grateful Dead tracked down and had arrested the group's ex-manager, Lenny Hart. He was charged with having embezzled US$70,000 from the group, leaving the Dead penniless.

In 1973, Bob Dylan's soundtrack to the film, "Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid" entered the US LP charts. The album includes "Knockin' On Heaven's Door."

In 1973, the Rolling Stones' released "Angie".

In 1976, Ode Records president Lou Adler and employee Neil Silver were kidnapped at Adler’s house in Malibu. The pair were released after paying out US$25,000 in hundred dollar bills. A week later, a California couple was charged with the crime.

In 1976, 110,000 fans descended on Old Bridge, New Jersey for an eleven hour concert by the Grateful Dead, the New Riders of the Purple Sage and the Marshall Tucker Band.

In 1976, George Harrison was found guilty of "subconscious plagiarism" of the Chiffons hit "He's So Fine" in his "My Sweet Lord."

In 1977, 3 people were arrested in Memphis after trying to steal Elvis' body. As a result of that incident, the King's body was moved to Graceland.

In 1977, Billy Idol's former band, Generation X, released their debut single, "Your Generation." Elton John reviewed the single for a British newspaper and wrote "really dreadful garbage. The Ramones do this sort of thing so much better."

In 1978, George Harrison married Olivia Trinidad Arias, a secretary at his Dark Horse record company.

In 1979, INXS made their live debut in Sydney.

In 1979, U2 released their first record, an EP entitled, "U2-3" in their native Ireland.

In 1983, guitarist Mick Jones was fired from the Clash by his bandmates who accused Jones of "drifting apart from the original concept of the band." Jones went on to form Big Audio Dynamite, and the Clash soon broke up.

In 1986, Dire Straits' "Money For Nothing" won the MTV award for Best Video.

In 1986, Gregg Allman was arrested for drunk driving in Florida. He had just gotten his license back after a five-year suspension.

In 1987, the American liquor company that produces Brass Monkey cocktail mix reported a 200% sales increase of the mix after the Beastie Boys released their hit, "Brass Monkey."

In 1987, Mick Jagger's "Let's Work" single was released by Columbia.

In 1988, Amnesty International's "Human Rights Now" tour, starring Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Peter Gabriel and Tracy Chapman, began in London's Wembley stadium.

In 1989, a judge in Dublin, Ireland ruled not to convict U2 bassist Adam Clayton of marijuana possession, even though Clayton admitted to the crime. The bassist agreed to contribute money to a women's center in Dublin.

In 1989, Cars lead singer Ric Ocasek married Russian spunk model/actress Paulina Porizkova.

In 1989, Guns 'n' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin was arrested for creating a disturbance on an airline flight.

In 1990, Elton John checked into a rehab center in Chicago for treatment of bulimia, drinking and drugs.

In 1993, Pearl Jam performed "Animal," a song from their upcoming "Vs." album, at the MTV Video Music Awards. Following that they were joined onstage by Neil Young for a blistering version of "Rockin' In The Free World."

In 1998, in preparation for the opening of his internet service the next day, David Bowie held a number of webcast performances featuring Ani DiFranco, the Specials, Jesus and Mary Chain, the Jayhawks and Spacehog.

In 2002, U.S. web site Napster, which 18 months earlier had been providing its free software to millions of new users a week, posted the words "Ded Kitty" over its infamous cat logo. Earlier in the day the words appeared a U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware, blocked the sale of Napster to its chief investor, German company Bertelsmann AG, citing a lack of evidence that the agreement was brokered in good faith. Judge Peter J. Walsh ruled there was a conflict of interest in the purchase, particularly "divided loyalties" from Napster CEO Konrad Hilbers, a former Bertelsmann executive. Napster later filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy application after 42 of Napster's 44 employees were laid off immediately after the ruling. Napster founder, Shawn Fanning, was among those laid off.

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Births In 1935, John Phillips, guitarist and vocals for the Mama's & Papa's.

In 1942, Al Jardine of the Beach Boys.

In 1945, Irish solo legen Van Morrison.

In 1951, Pretenders' drummer Martin Chambers.

In 1957, Go-Go's drummer Gina Schock.

In 1969, Me'shell Ndegeocello was born.

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Deaths In 1967, folk singer Woody Guthrie died of Huntington's Chorea in New York City. He was 52.

In 1971, a security guard was stabbed to death at a Who concert in Forest Hills, New York.

In 1976, Jimmy Reed, the "Big Boss Man" of the blues, who was a major influence on Pete Townshend, the Rolling Stones and others died in San Francisco. He was 50.

In 1998, Thunderbirds saxophonist Henry Bource died from leukemia. Bource was also a photographer and while filming underwater he had one of his legs bitten off by a shark. He indicated to keep the cameras rolling and the film footage was used in a documentary called "The Savage Shadow". He was back playing music with the band three weeks after he lost his leg

In 1999, Swamp Boogie Queen, Katie Webster (Kathryn Jewel Thorne) died of heart failure. A pianist born in 1939, Webster recorded with Slim Harpo, Lightnin' Slim, Clifton Chenier and Guitar Junior and had worked with Bonnie Raitt and Robert Cray. She was a member of Otis Redding's band and The Uptighters.

In 2001, after a long battle with cancer Australian rocker Ted Mulry of the Ted Mulry Gang passed away. Mulry died one day short of his 52nd birthday.

In 2001, saxophonist Jay Migliori died of colon cancer at age 70. He was a member of the '571st Air Force Band' and 'Supersax'. Supersax recorded "Scrapple From The Apple" and "Hot House". Migliori worked with Miles Davis, The Four Seasons, Stan Kenton, Terry Gibbs, Louie Bellson, The Ronettes, The Monkees, Si Zentner, The Righteous Brothers, Maynard Ferguson, The Beach Boys, Woody Herman, Ray Charles and Frank Zappa. It's believed he played on about 4,000 recordings.

In 2001, co-founder and singer for Atari Teenage Riot, Crack (Karl Bohm) died of a suspected drug overdose in Berlin.

In 2002, King of Vibes Lionel Hampton died of heart failure at the age of 91. Hampton played vibraphone, drums and piano. He was a member of The Chicago Defender Newsboys' Band, The Curtis Mosby's Blue Blowers and led his own band. In Hampton's career he worked with Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Teddy Wilson, Illinois Jacquet, Dinah Washington, Earl Bostic, Charles Mingus, Quincy Jones, Buddy Rich, Stan Getz and many others.

In 2005, R.L. Burnside, a legend of Raw Mississippi country blues, passed away aged 78. R.L. only began his recording career in his 40s after spending his early years playing clubs and juke joints around the American South. His output once he started recording, however, was prolific, with 9 albums in the decade of the 90's alone. He was a progressive bluesman until the end, some of his latest collaborations being with Kid Rock and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

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