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bmusic
Newsletter No.199
 December 5th - December 11th 2005

I must admit to being pretty clueless to the whole myspace.com thing, a site now seemingly used by almost every new band I come across, and many older, established bands too for that matter. From the completely unheard of and ungigged to some of the biggest names in alternative music today (and I'm sure everything in between). Now I knew of it's existence, and a couple of bands I deal with have their pages there I know of. So I've visited, and noticed the advertising and such increasing since I first took a look at the place. I learnt something new this week about myspace.com, and it might explain the advertising. Rupert Murdoch's NewsCorp bought the company that runs myspace in July this year, for US$580m!!! No wonder I keep hearing more and more about myspace, at a price tag of $580m it must be doing something right.
I found this out when reading a good article about the future of the recording industry and digital downloads and such, written for a UK newspaper. The article, which can be found HERE, raises some interesting points and has some fascinating new statistics about the subject. The author is much more concise than I could ever be, and mentions something that has intrigued me of late, and also adds to my argument of the quality of music younger listeners are relying on. As the author says, the 34% of 15-24 year olds who participate in file sharing are the same demographic (and very likely the very same people) who will fork out $5 for some lousy, compressed to buggery ringtone for their mobile phone!
Check out the article and see what you think. Pretty soon are kids going to have any idea at all how what it's like to listen to a piece of music they way the recording artist actually intended? One can argue the technology will increase the quality whilst maintaining file size. But what incentive is there for anyone to come up with a new technology like this the major players would have to pay new licencing for? The way it's going with the quality of music that they've already subjected themselves to kids aren't going to care. On a side note, Apple's iTunes understanding (or lack thereof) of the industry they're revolutionising becomes apparent in an excellent Red Herring article on the public stoush between Warner and Apple HERE.
An interesting statistic from the Australian Music Association that was published this past week may or may not mean something though. See sales of traditionally rock instruments like guitars and such are up in Australia, and pretty significantly. Are kids and adults alike frustrated by the music they have to choose from and even possibly the way it's delivered and deciding to give it a go for themselves to see what they can come up with? Or are they just inspired and look at music in the completely opposite way to the first scenario? Either way, it should auger well for the future if these new instrumentalists stick with it. It won't matter whether record companies have any money left to sign anyone. We'll have myspace to deliver the music!

Just a note to say that our wonderful friend and penpal of sorts from Florida, Jack Angel, former co-owner of Ember Records, contacted us during the week from his home in Florida to tell us he had safely made it through the terrible hurricane season safe and well. 91-year old Jack endured National Guard rations and no power or running water for a week but his family and home were kept safe from the tragedy that befell others around him in the state of Florida. It was nice to hear from Jack and we look forward to some more of his anecdotes and inside information from the fledgling days of the now all-encompassing American recording industry.

This coming week marks the anniversary of the murder of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, he is sorely missed and much has been said of the man he was since his passing. He had left a legacy larger than was realised when he was around and it's been great to learn all about the man and his generosity and general kind-heartedness since his tragic death. His memory has been well served in the 12 months since his death and will no doubt continue to be in the future.

You wouldn't think there is a lot more you could add to the biography of a band from whom there are few surviving members, but the legend that is this band and, probably more so, it's lead singer always offers up new information. We've made some updates to this feature since it was first run and, as the silly season doesn't allow us the time to write brand new features, this week you can catch up on T-Rex and co.
Regulars including Feature Article, The Week Ahead in Music History, Featured Artist and more are all inside Issue 199 of the bmusic Newsletter.
Links in the Table of contents below will launch your browser, so you'll need to be online to view the newsletter. If you are unable to receive html format e-mails then copy and paste the following link into your browser's address bar to view the newsletter:
http://www.bmusic.com.au/links/whatsnew/newsletters/archives/newsno199.html

Thanks to everyone for reading, we'll see you next week!

TABLE OF CONTENTS (You will need to be on-line to use the Table of Contents to jump through sections)
  • Where Are They Now? - T-Rex (Updated)
  • This week's Music Quote
  • Featured Product - Hughes & Kettner Triamp Mk II and Alex Lifeson Signature Triamp
  • This week's Specials
  • This week's Feature Article - Analysis of a Recording Contract
  • This week's Feature Artist - The Mexicans
  • Musicians Wanted
  • Gear Wanted
  • Band Links
  • The Week Ahead In Music History
               Events
               Births
               Deaths
  • Give us your suggestions
  • Don't want the bmusic Newsletter?
  • Privacy Statement
  • See you next week

    • WHERE ARE THEY NOW? - T-REX (UPDATED)

     The name of T.Rex is rarely ever mentioned without the name Marc Bolan going with it. Bolan was the leader of T.Rex and anything Bolan did outside the group was always associated with T.Rex, whether it be by fans or record companies. So this Where Are They Now? feature may seem to delve more deeply into the career of one of T.Rex's member but T.Rex didn't exist without Bolan and nor did Bolan without T.Rex.

    Bolan was born Mark Feld in London in 1947 and his teenage years saw him play in a high school band with Helen Shapiro. Shapiro had scored three UK Top 5 singles by the time she was 14. By the age of 19 she'd sold millions of records and was known the world over. She continued to build a string career in music, stage and television. But things didn't happen so quickly for Bolan, nor did they turn out so rosy.

    Bolan had been working as a male model when he kicked off his professional music career releasing three unsuccessful singles in 1965 on Decca Records. After the poor sales results his manager urged Marc to join a band, which he did in 1967. With the group John's Children he saw one of his compositions, "Desdemona", released but unhappy with the treatment of ] his music he left the group after only a few months.

    Later in 1967 he formed an acoustic folk duo with percussionist Steve Peregrin Took. Under the name Tyrannosaurus Rex they quickly released three albums, "My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair but Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows" and "Prophets, Seers and Sages, the Angels of the Ages" in 1968, and" Unicorn" the following year. They toured the US but returned to England after a US Musicians Union problem hamstrung their tour and essentially split. But Bolan resurrected the name with a new percussionist, Mickey Finn, and released a more electric-oriented album, "Beard Of Stars", in 1970. Just as Bolan's idol Bob Dylan had adopted a new "electric" approach to his music, so too did Bolan. And fans of both artists, both sides of the Atlantic, accused their revered folk heroes of selling out.

    The band name was shortened to T.Rex in 1970. Their first album under the shortened moniker was 1970's self-titled release from which the single "Ride A White Swan" was lifted. The single peaked at Number 2 on the UK chart and with their successful more rock-oriented approach came the necessity for T-Rex to enlist more band members. Bassist Steve Currie and drummer Bill Legend were recruited and the quartet set to work on T-Rex's second album, "Electric Warrior". Before "Electric Warrior" was released T.Rex scored their first UK Number One with "Hot Love". Another UK Number One single, "Get it On", was released as the first single from the new album. "Electric Warrior" topped the UK charts and the next single from it, "Jeepster", was also a UK chart success and another now-classic T.Rex track.

    "Get It On" made it to the US Top 10 in 1972, renamed "Bang A Gong" for that market but it didn't crack the US market for the band completely. In the UK T.Rex continued to dominate the charts with the first two singles from their 1972 album "The Slider" peaking at Number One. Those Number Ones, "Telegram Sam" and "Metal Guru", helped "The Slider" to a UK Top 5 on the album charts.

    The first single from the band's next album, "Solid Gold Easy Action", became another classic T.Rex track. The song "Children Of The Revolution", however, broke the run of UK number ones peaking at number two on those single charts. The album too peaked at number two on its respective UK chart. Oddly the next single was a non-album track but, again, it would go on to become a T.Rex classic. That song, "20th Century Boy", later show up 18 years later in a Levis jeans commercial with a young Brad Pitt starring, turning it on to a whole new audience.

    In March of 1973 the "Tanx" album was released. It should be noted that all albums, including this release, credited marc Bolan alone as writer and composer ensuring the now 25 year old a monstrous royalty income, one which enabled him to live a life of radical excess. And more high income followed the release of "Tanx" as it hit the UK Top 10 and it's lead single, "The Groover", making it to the Number One singles slot, the band's tenth release to do so. This would prove to be the tenth and last.

    Things had been going OK for T.Rex in the US up until "Tanx", not sensational but OK. "Electric Warrior" had reached Number 32 on the US album chart and "The Slider" improved on that position by reaching Number 17. But "Tanx" fared far less well. It failed to crack the US Top 100 albums

    Bolan, seemingly distracted by his failure to crack the US, took some peculiar steps in his music issuing a number of releases under pseudonyms and under his real name, as well as Marc Bolan & T.Rex releases. The franchise was failing and drummer Bill Legend exited before it crumbled completely. Continuing his bizarre abuse of the name he'd built in T.Rex Bolan attempted to release the album "A Creamed Cage In August" under the name Zinc Alloy in 1973. The record company stepped in attempting to arrest the downward spiral of Marc Bolan record sales and insisted the name Marc Bolan & T.Rex appear on the cover. As a Marc Bolan & T.Rex release it was renamed "Zinc Alloy And The Hidden Rivers Of Tomorrow". It's singles, "Teenage Dream" and "Truck On (Tyke)" both failed to make the UK Top Ten and the album struggled to number 12 on the UK album chart. It didn't even make it to the US.

    Bolan's "pin-up" looks were replaced with the image of a visibly overweight man with many personal demons, not the least of which being his chronic drug and alcohol abuse and the dissolution of his marriage following his affair with T.Rex backing vocalist Gloria Jones. (American soul singer Jones actually recorded the original version of "Tainted Love", the song later made more famous by Soft Cell). This, coupled with his obsession in trying to break into the US market alienated Bolan from T.Rex fans in his homeland. Bill Legend had exited the band following "Zinc Alloy..." and a constantly changing line-up of artists with Finn and Currie still a part of the band, put together the Americanised "Bolan's Zip Gun" album released in 1975. Only one single from the album, "New York City", managed to crack the UK top 20. Mickey Finn, however, took no solace in the top 20 position of "New York City" and officially left T.Rex.

    Bolan smartened up his act some for the release of "Futuristic Dragon" in 1976, with only Steve Currie remaining as an original T.Rex member. Gloria Jones had given birth to Bolan's son and fatherhood seemed to curb some of his excesses. He left the UK for tax reasons and divided his time in 1976 between Monaco and the US. But T.Rex fans had found other idols and "Futuristic Dragon", although a commercial improvement on "Zip Gun" failed to set the charts alight. One single, "I Love To Boogie" peaked at number 13 on the UK single chart but the album only made it to number 50.

    Bolan had found a new livelihood as a TV presenter, conducting a regular interview slot on a UK "Today" type show. Punk was enveloping the music scene in the UK but Bolan's new exposure on TV screens helped him to embrace punk fans and help old fans rediscover T.Rex when "Dandy In The Underworld" was released in 1977 under the old T.Rex moniker. His embrace of the new music genre included having new UK punk band "The Damned" as the T.Rex support on the "Dandy in The Underworld" tour. His TV slot also featured the first ever televised performances by up and coming UK bands "The Boomtown Rats" and "The Jam".

    "Dandy In The Underworld" peaked at number 26 on the UK album chart and things were looking up for Bolan. Seemingly only he and fellow pioneer David Bowie had weathered the pop and punk storms that blew over the UK music scene throughout the Seventies. Bolan interviewed his friend and survivor David Bowie in September of 1977 for his TV slot. A few days later, on September the 16th of 1977, Bolan was the passenger in a purple mini being driven by his common law wife and mother of his son, Gloria Jones. The Mini GT 1275 left the road near London and hit a tree, killing Bolan instantly. Two weeks shy of his 30th birthday the man who suggested many times during the dark days of his career that he'd not live to see his 30th birthday sadly had his prediction come true.

    With Bolan deceased it left only Steve Currie as an official T.Rex member and there seemed little point in carrying that name without it's founder. T.Rex was no longer, the phrase "No Bolan, No T.Rex" was coined. So what of the other former members of T.Rex?

    STEVE PEREGRIN TOOK
    Soon after he and Bolan returned from their late Sixties US tour a Tyrannosaurus Rex Bolan and Peregrin Took acrimoniously split with Peregrin Took not partaking in the reformation soon after. Instead he took more to guitar and honing his songwriting skills. A short-lived project, The Pink Fairies, was first followed by helping out fellow-Pink Fairy and old friend Mick Farren. Steve provided percussion and guitar work plus some spoken word on the album.

    Took and Farren struggled to complete a band or harmonious songwriting partnership despite all their efforts and Took eventually settled a line-up for the band Shagrat, without Farren. The group recorded three tracks at 10CC's "Strawberry Studios". These songs were apparently pre-cursors to the music to come from artists like Hawkwind, The Stooges and Alice Cooper. But they were too early and deemed "uncommercial". The other members of Shagrat had other projects, some of which proved very successful later on, so Peregrin Took was the only real full-time member of the group. It came to the point where gigs for Shagrat had been booked but none of the other members were able to break their other gigging commitments so Peregrin Took played the gigs on his own rather than cancel.

    This forced solo work actually paid off for Steve with him becoming somewhat of a cult figure in the UK underground scene for his solo gigs. His reputation grew and he was in good shape to shop himself to record execs. Enter former (and aggrieved) Marc Bolan manager Tony Secunda. Secunda's prime motivation was revenge at Marc Bolan and he somehow saw Steve Peregrin Took as his vehicle to achieve this. He did secure a contract for Took but he couldn't get it together in the business-like atmosphere of the studios of the day. A live-in studio was set up so Took could take care of all recording duties himself. A little too much freedom for a guy who dug his drugs too much. He did produce product from his live-in basement studio but much of it was "way out there" and only the stoned Took could get it, and it's very likely even he wouldn't have made any sense of it when sober. Parallels were being drawn between Took and Syd Barrett, a man who was near to losing his mind around the time Steve Took's basement studio was the fashionable place for the hippies of the day to hang out, do drugs, and jam. In fact two tracks recorded by Took during this period point to a theory that Barrett was one of those committed to tape by Took who never kept a record of who was contributing to his recorded work. The two tracks are named as "Crazy Diamond" and "Syd's Wine". Who knows?

    Eventually Secunda, with his passion for revenge against Bolan diminished thanks to the power of time, gave up on Steve. He did what he could for him but Took refused to allow Warner Bros. to hear his work saying "they're not ready". Whether this was that the songs weren't ready or Took thought the record company weren't ready for his songs will never be known. Steve Peregrin Took was more interested in getting high anyway. He and Secunda parted ways but before doing so Secundo put together a collection of Steve's work as a demo for him so he could find himself some work. These demos were sealed in a box labeled "Steve Took's Ramblings" and didn't see the light again for another two decades.

    Took continued to find work on the underground live scene, and particularly amongst the hippy population playing communes and hippy hangouts, sometimes for days at a time. He and ex-Hawkwind frontman Bob Calvert developed a close relationship, both socially and as musicians, often performing double bills with their solo acts.

    He attempted the formation of another band, which came close to fruition but fell at the last hurdle. The solo work continued but by around 1976 the underground scene was beginning to make way for the snowballing punk movement. Steve started to work on other projects and in 1977 had even organised with Marc Bolan to play as the original Tyrannosaurus Rex line-up as part of celebrations for Bolan's 30th birthday, the birthday that never came.

    Took managed to form a band, record and gig briefly. Steve Took's Horns was an interesting project with every chance of success had it not been for Took's abuse of alcohol and drugs. Before recording he would drink half a bottle of dark rum to "relax", then relax so much that his words were slurred markedly on the recordings. Before going on stage AND during their live sets Took would consume the drug Mandrax, resulting in performances the rest of the band were not happy with, but performances Took probably thought were fantastic.

    Took managed to get an album done under a new manager but his continued drug and alcohol abuse made the possibility of supporting any release daunting for both management and Took alike. An album was being negotiated for release around 1980. Took had predominantly been living on royalty cheques from Tyrannosaurus Rex and T.Rex compilations and the like in recent times as cheques were coming more regularly since the financial affairs of past management had been better arranged. It was with one of these royalty cheques in October 1980 that Took bought some powdered morphine and magic mushrooms for he and his flatmate to partake in. Both indulged themselves but Took didn't survive the evening, passing away from asphyxiation after inhaling a cocktail cherry.

    MICKEY FINN
    Soon after parting ways with Bolan and T.Rex Mickey joined Steve Marriot's All-Stars on guitar, a supergroup of sorts with guitarist Clem Clempson and ex-Small Faces guitarist/vocalist Steve Marriot. The outfit was shortlived, however, as a Small Faces' re-release of "Itchycoo Park" was successful about a month after forming the All-Stars, prompting Marriot to reform Small Faces.

    With friends like Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones Mickey Finn was never short of work or the ability to throw together a jam. Session work, one-off recordings, guest appearances, and writing were the bread and butter for Finn throughout much of the Eighties. In 1993 Finn co-wrote an album released by his long-time friend and collaborator, Italian artist Nino Ferrer

    Finn led a T.Rex incarnation to play a tribute to Marc Bolan in 1997. So successful was the tribute that he took the band to Germany, Europe and Japan two years later performing as Mickey Finn's T.Rex and released an album entitled "Renaissance". This album was released first in 2000 in Europe and the UK and found sufficient support for a US release two years late.

    Mickey Finn had further plans for T.Rex but in January of 2003 Finn was hospitalised with liver and kidney problems in London. He passed away from as a result of these problems soon after aged 56.

    STEVE CURRIE
    The bassist who stuck with T.Rex and Bolan until the end since he was hired to turn the band into a "full" band in 1970 was killed in a car accident in Portugal in 1980.

    BILL LEGEND
    Drummer Bill Fifield changed his name to Bill Legend when he joined T.Rex. He had a few minor bands after leaving T.Rex but the latest we have on him was from six years ago or so when he turned up in a story regarding the missing T.Rex millions. He was unemployed living in Essex in England with a family. To quote:
    Money would be a great help to me. It's unfair. I'd love to do something for my kids. The T.Rex phenomenon has expanded. It's a megabucks industry now. Marc's made more money since his death than when alive."


    Other information of note in this story includes the movements of Bolan's first wife (whom he never divorced). She died of a heart attack in 1994 aged 48. She was in Turkey at the time, a trip apparently funded by selling unreleased Bolan recordings.

    Rolan Bolan, Marc's son to Gloria Jones, lives with her in the U.S and would now be 28 years old. In 1997 he was reported as being an aspiring rap star and saying the following of his father's finances:
    With the exception of a trust fund set up by his father to pay for his schooling, he has yet to receive a cent of the Bolan fortune.
    ""I feel that from the second my dad passed away, everything went down," he says. "It was my dad's desire to become a big star and to make the money. And I think the children and the family are entitled to their part of that existence."
    Since then Rolan has popped up here and there and has even guested on stage with popular T.Rex cover act T.Rextasy. As far as we can gather much of the financial confusion behind Bolan's estate has now been worked out and we expect Rolan has managed to live quite comfortably since.
    There is a tribute to Bolan in the form of a poem written by Gloria Jones worth checking out HERE.

    And finally, within hours following Bolan's death his flat was broken into and his papers, letters and receipts stolen. None has been recovered. At 9:30 that morning, four and a half hours after Bolan died, UK taxmen turned up at his office and demanded around 4 million pounds in unpaid tax. Apparently Bolan had begun to suspect something was amiss with his management and financial affairs and was about to act but was killed before being able to do so.
    In 1979 a court in Jersey made a judgment against two trustees of the Bolan estate over the misuse of a half a million pounds of the star's money. The court heard the cash had been used to buy works of art which subsequently fetched only around 150,000 pounds at auction. A different group of trustees is now running the estate. (Yet another tale of scumbag managers screwing musicians. If it's not a tale involving record company legal battles it's management screw jobs).
    Some of Bolan's remaining estate money goes to charity. His original trustees nominated two beneficiaries, one being the Performing Rights Society's Members' Fund. The PRS collects and distributes royalties on behalf of copyright holders. Its fund receives around $97,800 a year from the Bolan estate that is used to support impoverished musicians and songwriters. The other beneficiary is the London-based Ravenswood Foundation, which cares for people with learning disabilities.

    Strangely enough T.Rex still exists. The band currently includes Graham Oliver, guitarist and founder member of Saxon, Alan Silson from Smokie, Paul Fenton who was the drummer for the Marc Bolan & T-Rex bands in their latter years, Rob Benson, Tony Allday and Dave Major. They are currently touring Germany and their name is often accompanied by the tag "A Celebration Of Marc & Mickey".

    UPDATE - 25th August 2004
     Danielz of T.Rextasy got in touch with us today just to help us out with a few of the details concerning past movements of some of the band members and to address a couple of anomalies that it seems have beconme the thing of legend rather than fact. We thank Danielz so much for thaking the time to write. Here;s what he had to add:

    "Hi, Just been looking at your most interesting web site. Just a couple of anomalies: Firstly, The 1997 Celebration Concert For Marc Bolan was a T.Rextasy gig. I actually invited Mickey Finn, etc. to attend the concert - Mickey's band didn't exist then. I got Mickey to play a number with me, and then I did a song with Rolan Bolan, and I got a few other people that had played with Marc to also do songs on stage with my band. Finn didn't actually get it together until they saw the crowds we were pulling and decided to get his own band together.

    Also, in the present 'T.Rex' there are no legit members now that Mickey has died. Paul Fenton was never a real member of T.Rex (even in the later years). He was always a session player next to the actual band drummers (Bill Legend or Davey Lutton). Paul did one short tour with Bolan in 1974 (he was second drummer to Bill Legend) that comprised of a half dozen dates in the UK and did some overdub session work. It is a shame when the actual drummers are not mentioned and a session drummer suddenly takes the role of importance, which I think (as do most Bolan fans) is a disgrace. As far as most people in the UK are concerned No Bolan No T.Rex.

    Dino Dines, an original member in T.Rex from 1974 - 1977 played with us until he died earlier this year. He couldn't understand how this 'T.Rex' band was actually "getting away with it".

    Good luck with everything and rock on!
    DANIELZ
    (T.REXTASY)

    Nice one :)

     UPDATE - 3rd December 2005
     T-Rex with the line-up mentioned of Graham Oliver, Alan Silson, Paul Fenton, Rob Benson, Tony Allday and Dave Major still exists and have just returned from shows in Germany and play out the year in the UK as well as dates for early 2006 already scheduled. This is still the that band started life as ""Mickey Finn's T-Rex", still managed by Barry Newby, the original manager who brought the group together in the first place.

    Marc Bolan's son Rolan has a reasonably successful solo career of his own playing a mix of rock and hip hop tagged as "California Soul". He plays dates sporadically in the UK and the US. With his band they perform as Rolan Bolan and the Brothers Bounce. He continues to maintain some of the interests of his father, indeed he is in charge of the T-rex back catalogue involving Marc. Earlier this year he was involved in the release on DVD of the Ringo Starr directed T-Rex movie, "Born To Boogie", originally released in 1972. "Born To Boogie Productions" is a company borne of the memory of Marc Bolan and Rolan also works very closely with them.

    Drop us an e-mail if you'd like us to track down some of stars of the past for you and feature them in Where Are They Now? or if you have anything to add or correct from one of our features.

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    THIS WEEK'S MUSIC QUOTE

     "Like everything else in nature, music is a becoming, and it becomes its full self, when its sounds and laws are used by intelligent man for the production of harmony, and so made the vehicle of emotion and thought."
    - Theodore Mungers

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    FEATURED PRODUCT - H & K TRIAMP MKII & LIFESON SIGNATURE TRIAMP

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    SPECIALS AT bmusic

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    THIS WEEK'S FEATURE ARTICLE - ANALYSIS OF A RECORDING CONTRACT

    This is one serious article. Not one from our database but from the good people at StarPolish in the U.S., a collaborative effort between artists and music industry professionals dedicated to educating and empowering artists. The article is a 123 page in-depth analysis of recordong contracts. It's from a U.S. standpoint but completely relevant to our domestic industry. A more detailed article we have never, ever come across from the hundreds and hundreds we've read. Enjoy!

    Click HERE to read Analysis of a Recording Contract.

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    FEATURED ARTIST - THE MEXICANS

    Melbourne-based four piece THE MEXICANS are a rare sonic breed - an unholy matrimony of Motorhead- style metal swagger and punk rock attitude delivered with new-millennium precision. Jimmie's fretboard-shredding guitar solos and the rousing vocals of 'the one man wrecking ball' Cal Bastard provide the icing on the cake. Together with a relentlessly driving rhythm section, The Mexicans are one act that doesn't mess around. Don't miss seeing one of their shows....they are truly something to behold.

    Check out the official web site of The Mexicans at www.themexicans666.com to hear and see what The Mexicans, "the hard men from Melbourne, Australia", are all about.

    Each week's Feature Artist is selected from the Band Links page, so get on and list your favourite group at the Band Link page and they could be the Feature Artist at bmusic.com.au.

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    MUSICIANS WANTED

    Our 'Musicians Wanted' pages are getting more and more listings every week with musicians from across the country (and the globe) looking for singers and instrumentalists of all types.
    Get on over to Musicians Wanted to see all the new listings. Check back regularly as new listings are received almost every day.

    There are two simple sections at the FREE Musicians Wanted pages. 'Musicians Wanted by Bands' and 'Bands Wanted by Musicians'. If you fit one of these categories click HERE to see if there is a candidate to fit the bill. If not, then send us your new listing and we'll have it up inside a day. Just be sure to let us know if you fill the vacancy so we can remove it from the page.

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    GEAR WANTED

  • Ibanez Series 10 Pedals:
    Pretty short and to the point request from a bloke without the ability to type capitals on his keyboard it would appear :)
    "i'm looking for ibanez series 10 pedals most of all the ph10 bi mode phaser"
    Let us know if you can help. Who was it looking for this, we have located one and I've lost your contact details!


  • Guitar promo catalogues:
    A good friend of ours here at bmusic is after any old catalogues from days gone by. At the moment he's particularly keen to get a hold of any Washburn catalogues from the late '70's. Those that feature the Washburn Wing Series of basses and guitars would be of particular interest.

  • Second-hand saxes, clarinets and flutes. We are looking for good quality, good condition, saxophones, clarinets and flutes to help out those parents who are a little dubious about their child's level of commitment to their chosen instrument and, subsequently, don't want to spend a bomb on what might turn out to be a fad. If you or your kids have taken up the horn but chucked it in, don't take it to Cashies. Brands like Yamaha, Yanigasawa, Selmer, Buescher etc. are always welcome at bmusic.


  • Marshall JCM800's. That's right, we STILL want 'em. JCM800 2203 and 2204 models.


    • If there's something you've been trying to get your hands on, let us know and we will list it here for you. You never know.

    If you spot something in the U.S. or Canada you're keen on let us know. We have contacts in those territories who, for a small fee, can act on your behalf in any transactions and make sure you get your stuff safe and sound.

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    BAND LINKS

    Click HERE to visit the Band Links page and be sure to check back regularly to see new listings.
    If you're in a band or are a supporter of any local bands in your area, why not create a link for them on our FREE Band Links page. Each week's Featured Artist is selected from our Band Links pages. List your band and you could be the next bmusic Featured Artist.

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    THE WEEK AHEAD IN MUSIC

  • Events

    • In 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis secretly wed his third cousin Myra Gale Brown in Tennessee.

    In 1961, "Surfin'", the Beach Boys first recording, was released by small L.A. record company Candis Records.

    In 1964, Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson suffered a nervous breakdown on a flight from L.A. to Houston. The breakdown wa the catalyst for Wilson ceasing to tour with the group.

    In 1968, Graham Nash left the Hollies and three days later announced the formation of Crosby, Stills and Nash.

    In 1968, Graham Nash quit the Hollies to form a trio with ex-Byrd David Crosby and ex-Buffalo Springfield member Stephen Stills.

    In 1969, the Rolling Stones played the infamous free "thank you" concert for 300,000 fans at the Altamont Speedway in Livermore, California. Among other performers on the bill were Jefferson Airplane, Santana and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The hastily organised event rapidly turned into a disaster when four people died, including one who was stabbed by a Hell's Angel who was hired to act as a security guard. The murder was filmed and included in the film "Gimme Shelter" which premiered exactly one year later.

    In 1969, at his trial for possession of hashish and heroin in the Toronto Supreme Court, Jimi Hendrix testified that he smoked pot four times and hashish five times, took LSD five times and sniffed cocaine twice and that he had "outgrown" drugs. After eight hours of deliberations, the jury found Hendrix not guilty.

    In 1971, Frank Zappa broke his leg and ankle and fractured his skull when he was pushed from a London stage by the jealous boyfriend of a Zappa fan.

    In 1972, Elton John's "Crocodile Rock" was released.

    In 1976, KISS guitarist Ace Frehley was nearly electrocuted during a concert in Florida when he touched a short circuited light. He was carried from the stage but returned 10 minutes later to finish the show.

    In 1978, Sid Vicious, out on bail from Riker's Island Detention Center in New York after being charged with the murder of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen, smashed a glass in the face of Patti Smith's brother Todd during an altercation at the New York rock club Hurrah.

    In 1984, the Bob Geldof assembled Band-Aid project released the single "Do They Know It's Christmas", the proceeds going to famine relief.

    In 1986, Elton John recorded a live version of "Candle in the Wind" in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

    In 1992, Bill Wyman left the Rolling Stones after 30 years in the group.

    In 1995, the surviving members of the Grateful Dead disbanded the group following Jerry Garcia's death in August of that year.

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  • Births In 1942, singer/songwriter Harry Chapin was born. Chapin died in 1981.

    In 1943, Rick Danko, bass player for the Band. (See Deaths).

    In 1943, Doors singer Jim Morrison. Morrison died in 1971.

    In 1944, Booker T. Jones, organist for Booker T & the MG's.

    In 1947, Allman Brothers Band keyboardist Gregg Allman.

    In 1948, self-confessed redneck Ted Nugent.

    In 1949, Tom Waits.

    In 1956, R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck.

    In 1956, the late Quiet Riot/Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads. Rhoads was killed in a plane crash in 1981.

    In 1957, Donny Osmond.

    In 1958, Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx.

    In 1966, Irish singer Sinead O'Connor.

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  • Deaths In 1964, Sam Cooke, one of the most popular and influential R&B singers of his generation, dies under violent and mysterious circumstances in Los Angeles. According to court testimony, Cooke, who was married to Barbara Campbell, picked up a 22 year old woman named Elisa Boyer at a party. He promised her a ride home but they ended up at a motel.
    Boyer claims Cooke forced her into the motel room and began ripping her clothes off. She managed to escape with his clothes while he was in the bathroom. He pursued, wearing only a sports coat and shoes.
    While she called police from a phone booth, Cooke began pounding on the door of the office of the motel's manager Bertha Franklin. He demanded to know where Campbell was and allegedly broke the door open. Cooke reportedly assaulted Franklin, who shot him three times, and kept coming at her, who then beat Cooke with a stick. By the time police arrive, Sam Cooke was dead.

    In 1967, soul singer Otis Redding was killed at the age of 26 when the plane in which he was a passenger crashed into a lake. Members of Redding's touring band were also killed.

    In 1980, John Lennon was assassinated by Mark David Chapman. Lennon was shot in his chest, back and left arm and was pronounced dead thirty minutes later. Earlier in the day, Lennon had autographed an album for Chapman.

    In 1988, Roy Orbison died of cardiac arrest at the age of 52, two days after he played his final show in Akron, Ohio.

    In 1998, James Lynn Strait, bassist for Lethal Dose and vocalist for Snot, died in a car crash along with his pet dog Dobbs. Dobbs was also the Snot mascot. Strait's death inspired the heavy rock all-star tribute album featuring performances by System of A Down, Sevendust, Incubus, and many more.

    In 1999, Rick Danko, bass player for The Band, died in his sleep in Woodstock, New York one day after celebrating his 56th birthday.

    In 2001, guitarist/singer for Death, and one of the death metal genre's pioneers, Chuck Schuldiner died from a brain tumor.

    In 2002, Australian born member of U.K. group Stereolab, Mary Hansen, was killed when hit by a vehicle while riding her bicycle. Hansen was born in 1966 in Maryborough, Queensland.

    In 2004, "Dimebag" Darrell Lance Abbott, guitarist of Damageplan and founding member and guitarist of the then defunct Pantera was shot and killed whilst performing on stage at an Ohio club. A gunman stormed the stage shooting Dimebag and several other people before being shot and killed by an Ohio policeman. Five people, including the gunman and Dime, lost their lives at the Alrosa Villa club in Columbus, Ohio.

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    SEE YOU ALL NEXT WEEK!

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