bmusic - Newsletter No. 217

In 1963, the Rolling Stones began their first recording session in London with producer Andrew Loog Oldham. Their first single, a cover of Chuck Berry's song "Come On," was released a month later.

In 1986, Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee married actress Heather Locklear. The couple eventually divorced with Locklear marrying Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora some years later. Tommy married another actress, Pamela-Lee Anderson, again that marriage ending in divorce. Locklear and Sambora, however, still remain happily married.

In 1994, bad-boy rapper Tupac Shakur began serving a 15-day prison sentence for attacking the director on the set of one of his video clips.

In 1955, Elvis Presley's performance in Jacksonville, Florida caused a riot, the first reported incident of trouble at an Elvis show.

In 1956, the Sun Record Company in Memphis ran an ad in the music trade papers announcing the first record by what was termed "one of the truly great talent finds." The artist was Johnny Cash, and the record was "I Walk the Line."

In 1963, Bob Dylan walked off the "Ed Sullivan Show" when CBS censors wouldn't let him perform the "Talking John Birch Society Blues."

In 1965, the Rolling Stones began a two-day recording session at Chess Studios in Chicago, laying down the basic tracks for "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction."

In 1966, the Beach Boys album "Pet Sounds" was released. Although it only barely made the top 10, the album has since become regarded as a classic and the Beach Boys' best.

In 1967, the psychedelic sound and light show of Pink Floyd graced the stage of the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. The concert, called "Games For May," was the first to feature quadraphonic sound.

In 1968, Jimi Hendrix was arrested at the US-Canadian border for possession of heroin and hashish. Hendrix, on his way to a concert in Toronto, claimed the drugs were planted. He was later cleared of the charges.

In 1970, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young announced their breakup before a performance in Chicago. The band - minus Neil Young - would regroup several times during the next dozen years. And all four would get together again in 1988 for the hit single and album "American Dream."

In 1974, more than 50 people were injured when fans who couldn't get tickets rioted outside a Jackson Five concert in Washington, DC.

In 1981, former Sex Pistol John Lydon, who used to be known as Johnny Rotten, and his band Public Image Limited were booed and pelted by debris during a performance at a New York club. A dozen people were hurt before the band's 50-minute performance ended. A Public Image show set for the following night was cancelled.

In 1981, Andrew Lloyd Webber musical "Cats" opened in London. The composer had to mortgage his house to help finance the half-million pound production which has since grossed billions in productions across the globe.

In 1982, guitarist Fast Eddie Clark departed Motorhead in the middle of the British heavy metal band's US tour. Brian Robertson, formerly of Thin Lizzy, was his replacement.

In 1984, guitarist Nils Lofgren joined Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, replacing Steve Van Zandt.

In 1985, rock star Bruce Springsteen married actress Julianne Phillips at ten minutes past midnight in a secret ceremony in Oregon. Their marriage fell apart in 1988.

In 1986, Belinda Carlisle, who had just left the Go Gos, made her Los Angeles debut as a solo artist. In the audience were Prince and the Bangles. Andy Taylor of Duran Duran joined Carlisle on stage, as he would at other concerts throughout the summer.

In 1986, country singer Johnny Paycheck was found guilty of shooting and wounding a man after an argument in a bar in Hillsboro, Ohio. Paycheck, best known for his 1978 hit "Take This Job and Shove It," was sentenced to up to 9.5 years in prison.

In 1987, Frank Sinatra cancelled a planned tour of Sweden and Denmark after Sweden decided to tax him because he performed in South Africa. Norway had earlier banned Sinatra for the same reason.

In 1987, Prince (or the Artist Formerly Known As, or is it Prince again now?) and his band made an unannounced after-hours appearance at a private club in West Berlin. They performed for an hour at the Quasimodo club following the first of two sold-out shows in a West Berlin concert hall.

In 1987, singer Billy Idol stormed off stage in San Francisco after twice being hit in the face by tennis shoes thrown by fans.

In 1991, Chris De Burgh, M.C. Hammer and Tom Jones were among the stars performing at an international pop concert at Wembley Stadium in London to raise money for Kurdish refugees from Iraq. Other performers were seen by satellite hookup from around the world. Rod Stewart performed from Switzerland, Paul Simon from Manchester, England and Gloria Estefan and New Kids on the Block from Rotterdam, Holland. In the London audience were British Prime Minister John Major and Diana, Princess of Wales. The concert was broadcast to more than 30 countries.

In 1994, 2 Live Crew rapper Luther Campbell was charged in Miami with aggravated assault for allegedly aiming a gun at his wife and threatening to kill her.

In 1995, R.E.M. resumed its world tour in San Francisco, two months after it was suspended when drummer Bill Berry underwent brain surgery. He fell ill during a show in Lausanne, Switzerland, but made a complete recovery.

In 1995, singer Scott Weiland of the grunge rock group Stone Temple Pilots was arrested in Pasadena, California, for possessing cocaine and heroin. Police pulled over Weiland's car after he made a quick midnight stop at a motel. He was ordered to spend four to six months in a drug treatment centre, forcing cancellation of the group's tour in the summer of 1996. The charges were dropped after Weiland completed his treatment. Unfortunately this was destined to be one of many such arrests Scott Weiland would face in the years to follow, the latest in early 2002.

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Births In 1946, singer Donovan was born Donovan Philip Leitch.

In 1949, Billy Joel was born in Long Island, New York.

In 1949, Traffic singer/guitarist Dave Mason.

In 1960, U2 vocalist Bono, whose real name is Paul Hewson, was born. U2 was formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1976, and by 1987 was acknowledged as the top rock band in the world.

In 1888, American songwriter Irving Berlin was born in Russia.
He wrote nearly 1,000 songs, and had his first hit in 1911 with "Alexander's Ragtime Band." Many of his best songs came from such Broadway musicals as "Call Me Madam" and "Annie Get Your Gun." Berlin also composed film scores, and many of his stage musicals were adapted for the screen.
Among the best known of his songs are "White Christmas," "God Bless America" and "There's No Business Like Show Business".

In 1919, pianist Liberace, whose full name was Wladziu Valentino Liberace, was born in West Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His overly sentimental pop tunes and frilly, condensed versions of the classics built him into one of the hottest show business personalities in the 1950's. Liberace died on February 4th, 1987 from conditions related to AIDS.

In 1928, pop composer Burt Bacharach.

In 1941, '50s rock 'n' roll singer Ritchie Valens was born in Pacoima, California. He was signed by Del-Fi Records in 1958, and had three big hits that year with "Come On, Let's Go," "Donna" and "La Bamba." Valens was killed in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper in February 1959.

In 1941, rock singer Eric Burdon, who first came to fame with the Animals during the 1960's British invasion, was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England.

In 1942, British rock vocalist Ian Dury.

In 1942, blues singer Taj Mahal.

In 1943, Jack Bruce, one of the most influential bass guitarists in rock, was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Bruce's bass playing and vocals with the group Cream in the 1960's were a great influence on the heavy metal groups that followed. He began developing his style with the British rhythm-and-blues pioneers Graham Bond and Alexis Korner.
Bruce later played with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Manfred Mann before forming Cream with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker in 1966.
Bruce later played in a variety of styles with several groups such as West, Bruce and Laing, Jack Bruce and Friends, and BLT.

In 1943, Les Chadwick, bass player with the '60s British group Gerry and the Pacemakers, was born in Liverpool, England.

In 1944, Graham Goble of the Little River Band.

In 1945, Ian McLagan, keyboard player with the Faces, was born in Hownslown, England. McLagan joined the group, originally called the Small Faces, when Jimmy Winston left after the band's first hit in 1965. When lead vocalist Steve Marriot departed in 1969, the group reorganized and became known simply as the Faces. The new members were Ron Wood and Rod Stewart. The group fell apart in 1976, and Ian McLagan began touring with the Rolling Stones. He also recorded a couple of solo albums.

In 1945, (Magic) Dick Salwitz, harmonica player with the J. Geils Band.

In 1946, Danny Klein, bassist with the J. Geils Band.

In 1948, rock guitarist and keyboard player Steve Winwood was born in Birmingham, England.
He was only 16 when he burst on the British pop music scene as the lead vocalist and organist with the Spencer Davis Group. They had hits with "I'm a Man" and "Gimme Some Lovin'."

In 1948, new wave producer Brian Eno was born in Woodbridge, England. A founding member of Roxy Music in 1971, he played synthesizer and electronically altered the other instruments in the group, before leaving in a dispute with songwriter Bryan Ferry. Eno went on to work as a solo artist and a producer-collaborator with Talking Heads, David Bowie and Devo, among others.

In 1950, rock singer Billy Squier.

In 1950, Stevie Wonder, whose real name is Steveland Morris Hardaway, was born in Saginaw, Michigan.
He sang and played the harmonica so well that Ronnie White of the Miracles brought him to Motown records, where Berry Gordy signed him on the spot. Wonder's third single, "Fingertips-Part Two," shot to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1963.

In 1950, Peter Gabriel, the original lead vocalist of the art-rock group Genesis, was born in London. Genesis relied on complex story songs and elaborate costumes when Gabriel fronted the group, and never developed beyond cult status. He left in 1974 for a solo career, and was replaced by Phil Collins. Genesis became much more popular. "And Then There Were Three" became their first gold album in 1978. Gabriel also found success as a solo artist, hitting number one in 1986 with "Sledgehammer."

In 1951, singer Fergie Frederiksen of Toto.

In 1952, David Byrne, lead vocalist for the new wave band Talking Heads, was born in Dunbartin, Scotland. Byrne formed the Talking Heads as a trio in 1975 in New York with Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth. Jerry Harrison completed the band in 1977.

In 1953, rock singer and songwriter Tom Cochrane was born in Lynn Lake, Manitoba.

In 1953, multi-instrumentalist and composer Mike Oldfield was born in Reading, England. His 1973 LP, "Tubular Bells," went to number three on the Billboard chart, staying there more than a year and selling over a million copies. In 1974, the album won a Grammy Award as Best Pop Instrumental LP after excerpts were used in the soundtrack of the film "The Exorcist."

In 1955, country singer Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn.

In 1955, Mark Herndon, drummer with the country band Alabama.

In 1959, Billy Duffy, guitarist with the British hard-rock band, The Cult.

In 1961, Irish singer Enya. (Don't ask me what her last name is!)

In 1962, Ian Astbury, ex-vocalist with the British hard-rock band the Cult.

In 1969, Danny Wood of New Kids on the Block.

In 1970, Jordan Knight of New Kids on the Block.

In 2005, my son, Layne :D

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Deaths In 1970, Johnny Hodges, long-time alto saxophonist with the Duke Ellington orchestra, died in New York City at age 64. Hodges joined Ellington in 1928, and with the exception of four years of leading his own small combo in the 1950's, was with the orchestra for the rest of his life.

In 1975, Bob Wills, originator of the western swing style of country music, died at age 70 after suffering a stroke in December 1973. He never regained consciousness. Wills and his Texas Playboys, a swing band with country overtones, played country ballads, blues and jazz tunes. When the band and vocalist Tommy Duncan recorded Wills's composition "San Antonio Rose" in 1940, the disc became a million-seller. A version by Bing Crosby also passed the million mark.

In 1976, former Yardbirds vocalist Keith Relf was electrocuted while tuning a guitar at his home in London. He was 33.

In 1979, bluegrass singer, guitarist and composer Lester Flatt died in Nashville at the age of 64. Flat, Earl Scruggs, and their band, the Foggy Mountain Boys, were one of the most widely acclaimed country music acts of the 1950's and '60s.

In 1981, Bob Marley died in Miami of brain and lung cancer. He was 36. Seven months earlier, he had collapsed on stage during a concert in the US.

In 1981, pianist, arranger and producer Ernie Freeman died of a heart attack at age 58. His 1957 recording of "Raunchy" was a close second to Bill Justis's version in popularity, reaching number four on the Billboard chart. Freeman also produced records for Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Connie Francis. And he masqueraded as pianist "B. Bumble" on "Bumble Boogie," a 1961 hit by B. Bumble and the Stingers.

In 1988, jazz trumpeter Chet Baker, famed for his 1950's appearances with baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, died in a fall from the third storey of an Amsterdam hotel. He was 58. Police said Baker had been using heroin shortly before his fatal plunge. Baker set the standard for the cool school of jazz with his trumpet playing, but his career suffered from a series of narcotics arrests.

In 1989, five-time Academy Award-winning composer Johnny Green died in Beverly Hills, California at age 80. He won Oscars for scoring "Easter Parade," "An American in Paris," "West Side Story" and "Oliver!," and for producing the short subject "The Merry Wives of Windsor Overture." Green was also a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and composed such standards as "Body and Soul," "Out of Nowhere" and "I Cover the Waterfront."

In 1996, a 17 year-old was crushed to death at a Smashing Pumpkins concert at the Point Theatre in Dublin. Fans listening to the concert on the Internet heard lead singer Billy Corgan try to calm the rampaging crowd.

In 1996, rhythm-and-blues guitarist and singer Johnny (Guitar) Watson died of a heart attack on stage in Yokohama, Japan. He was 61. Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Frank Zappa were among those who said they were influenced by Watson's playing. Samples of his guitar riffs turned up in rap recordings by Snoop Doggy Dog and Ice Cube. Watson's best-selling album was "A Real Mother For Ya," which made the top 20 in 1977.

In 1997, Mel Bay, whose music instruction books were said to have sold more than 20 million copies, died in St. Louis at age 84. Bay's most famous book, "Modern Guitar Method," was published in 1948 and was a best-seller for decades.

In 1997, r'n'b bandleader Ernie Fields died at the age of 91. His rocked-up version of Glenn Miller's 1939 chart-topper "In the Mood" was a U.S. Top-10 hit in 1959.

In 1998, Ol' Blue Eyes Frank Sinatra died at the age of 82.

In 1999, dairy farmer Jean Davis died of cancer at the age of 60. Davis and her husband have been staging the U.K.'s legendary Glastonbury Rock Festival on their farm in Somerset since 1970.

In 2001, Stan "Doc" Penridge, member of Chelsea and The Criss-Penridge Alliance. He also co-wrote songs for Peter Criss and KISS including "Beth".

In 2002, African choral singer Nellie Shabalala was shot in the KwaZulu/Natal region of South Africa. Nellie was a memebr of Women of Mambazo and the wife of Ladysmith Black Mambazo member Joseph Shabalala.

In 2003, former Jimi Hendrix Experience bass player Noel Redding passed away at the age of 57. His body was found at his home in Clonakitty, Ireland. An autopsy revealed his death was due to natural causes.
After the Experience dissolved in 1969 Redding formed Fat Mattress, a group which released two albums, one in 1969 and the other a year later. In the Seventies he formed the Noel Redding Band and released studio albums in 1975 and 1976 as well as two live albums more recently. Redding played most Friday nights for the last 20 years at De Barra, a pub in Clonakitty, often with his friends John Coughlin from Status Quo and Eric Bell of Thin Lizzy.

In 2003, Johnny Cash's wife June Carter Cash from complications after heart surgery. She was 73. June was a composer (she co-wrote Cash's hit "Ring Of Fire"),singer, and played autoharp and guitar. During her career she worked with her husband, Flatt & Scruggs, Bob Dylan, Hank Williams Jr., Homer & Jethro, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and The Carter Family.

In 2006, Grant McLennan, singer-songwriter with legendary Australian group the Go-Betweens, died in his sleep at his home in Brisbane, Australia. He was 48. It was thought that he suffered a heart attack.

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