bmusic - Newsletter No. 234

In 1956, Elvis Presley performed 'Love Me Tender', 'Hound Dog', 'Don't Be Cruel' and 'Ready Teddy' on the Ed Sullivan Show. It was the first of three performances Presley would ultimately make on the show and this first show is that which is infamous for the shots of Presley only from the waist up. This was to avoid his gyrating hips upsetting audiences at home.

In 1960, the US House of Representatives officially made the practice of payola - in which record companies paid disc jockeys to play certain records - illegal. The congressional investigation into payola caused the downfall of pioneer disc jockey Alan Freed, who did more than any other DJ to bring rock 'n' roll to a mass audience. Freed was fined US$300 and given a suspended sentence in 1962 after pleading guilty to two counts of commercial bribery. He was blackballed by the radio industry, and died a broken man on January 20th, 1965 at the age of 42.

In 1961, Bob Dylan made his debut at New York's Gaslight Cafe.

In 1962, Bobby 'Boris' Pickett's 'Monster Mash' entered the US charts. Within five weeks the song made it to Number 1 on the US Hot 100 chart. Monster Mash was a tongue-in-cheek take off of late night monster movies. Pickett recorded the song with sound effects: the creaky door opening is a nail being pulled from a piece of wood, the boiling cauldron is Pickett blowing bubbles into a cup of water with a straw and the chains are him moving chains up and down. He also did all the voices.

In 1965, the Rolling Stones hit #1 in England with '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction'.

In 1967, Sam & Dave's soul classic, 'Soul Man' was released.

In 1968, Herbert Khaury, better known as Tiny Tim, sued Bouquet Records for US$1 million in damages when the record label released early recordings of Khaury without his permission.

In 1968, Eric Clapton recorded his guitar solo on The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

In 1968, arriving in London for a tour of the U.K., Sly and the Family Stone bassist Larry Graham was picked up by police for possession of cannabis. The BBC cancelled the group's television appearance and a London hotel refused to honor the band's reservations.

In 1971, Elvis Presley became only the sixth artist to be presented with the US National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences award which is bestowed to members of the recording industry who "during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic or scientific significance to the field of phonograph records." Presley was preceded in receiving the award by Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Irving Berlin.

In 1971, John Lennon's 'Imagine' LP was released.

In 1974, the original New York Dolls split up. Two members later toured under the same name.

In 1974, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the Band and Joni Mitchell played a sold-out show at London's 80,000-plus seat Wembley Stadium.

In 1975, Kiss' double album, "Kiss Alive" was released.

In 1976, Wild Cherry's self-titled album, which included "Play that Funky Music," was certified gold in the US.

In 1976, Judge Richard Owen of the New York State Supreme Court ruled that George Harrison "subconsciously plagiarized" "He's So Fine" by the Chiffon's (released in 1963) in his own hit "My Sweet Lord". Harrison was ordered to pay US$587,000 to ABKCO Music, a company owned, ironically, by Harrison's former business manager (when he was one of the Beatles), Allen Klein.

In 1977, guitarist Jimmy McCulloch quit Paul McCartney & Wings to join a reformed lineup for the Small Faces.

In 1977, Bernie Taupin, better known as Elton John's lyricist, made his television acting debut on US network, ABC's 'The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew meet Dracula'. Taupin played the leader of a band called Circus.

In 1978, U2 played one of the biggest shows of their career to that point, a supporting slot for The Stranglers at the Top Hat Ballroom outside of Dublin. The Stranglers took up two dressing rooms, leaving U2 to dress behind their amps.

In 1978, the Grateful Dead performed three shows at the Great Pyramids in Egypt.

In 1979, Patti Smith played the biggest concert of her career in Florence, Italy to 85,000 people. She announced to the crowd that it would be her final show so that she could retire at age 32 to begin her life with husband Fred "Sonic" Smith. Patti Smith did not return to performing until a decade later.

In 1988, Elton John sold some of his costumes and concert memorabilia at an auction in London for $6.2 million.

In 1988, Guns N' Roses' 'Sweet Child O' Mine' hit #1 on the US charts for the first time.

In 1992, at MTV's 9th annual Video Music Awards, Elton John sang "The One" and then later joined Guns N' Roses on "November Rain."

In 1993, ex-Janes Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

In 1993, lawyers for a 13 year-old boy filed suit in Los Angeles against Michael Jackson, claiming the entertainer seduced and sexually abused the youth. Jackson denied the allegations, and his security consultant claimed they were part of an extortion plot. The case was settled out of court.

In 1995, Cyndi Lauper won an Emmy award for her guest appearance on the TV sitcom 'Mad About You'.

In 1996, for the first time, a new single by a major recording artist was released exclusively on the Internet. David Bowie's "Telling Lies" was released on Bowie's web site, where it was available for 24 hours.

In 1996, late INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence plead guilty to hitting a photographer and was fined $600. The photographer was snapping Michael and Paula Yates leaving a hotel.

In 1996, Rapper Tupac Shakur and Marion "Suge" Knight were shot while riding in Knight's Mercedes in Las Vegas following a Mike Tyson fight. Shakur died from his wounds 6 days later.

In 2002, a spokesperson for Warren Zevon announced the singer/songwriter had been diagnosed with the advanced, untreatable lung cancer, mesothelioma, a rare lung cancer usually linked to asbestos exposure. The 55-year-old "Werewolves of London" singer learned of the diagnosis in August, 2002 and was told he had perhaps as little as two months left to live. He lived a little over a year, surviving long enough to see the birth of his twin boys grandchildren in June, 2003 and to complete the recording of his album, "The Wind", in his home studio.

In 2002, Rod Stewart's son Sean, 22, was sentenced to 90 days in jail and ordered to undergo drug rehabilitation after pleading no contest to attacking a man outside a Malibu restaurant. Sean Stewart was arrested on December 5th after he was seen kicking the man in the face and stomach, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said in a statement. Superman Actor Dean Cain and his brother broke up the fight. They followed Stewart after he fled in a car and reported the attack to police.

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Births In 1911, Bill Monroe, the father of bluegrass music, was born in Rosine, Kentucky.

In 1925, singer and songwriter Mel Torme was born.

In 1936, rock 'n' roll legend Buddy Holly was born in Lubbock, Texas.

In 1941, soul legend Otis Redding.

In 1944, Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters.

In 1945, former Grateful Dead keyboardist, Ron 'Pigpen' McKernan, was born.

In 1946, Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury.

In 1946, Iron Butterfly's Doug Ingle.

In 1946, Danny Hutton, vocalist for Three Dog Night.

In 1950, Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry.

In 1950, Paul Kossoff, guitarist with the British blues-rock band Free, was born in London.

In 1951, Pretenders legend Chrissie Hynde.

In 1952, one half of the Eurythmics, Dave Stewart.

In 1960, Cracker frontman Dave Lowry.

In 1966, Robin Goodridge, drummer for British rockers Bush.

In 1967, Steve Perkins, drummer with the Perry Farrell-led rock bands Jane's Addiction and Porno for Pyros.

In 1972, Zeke Young was born to parents Neil Young and actress Carrie Snodgrass on Young's ranch near San Francisco.

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Deaths In 1977, conductor Leopold Stokowski died in England at the age of 95. Stokowski was conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra for 24 years, ending in 1936, and in 1940 served as musical supervisor for Walt Disney's classic film 'Fantasia'. Stokowski also had much to do with improving the techniques for recording classical music.

In 1978, The Who drummer, Keith Moon, died in London at the age of 31 after overdosing on Hemenephirin, a prescription drug which was supposed to have helped him with alcohol. He was replaced by ex-Faces drummer Kenney Jones.

In 1981, the drummer for country singer Freddy Fender was killed and another band member injured when the group's bus collided with a transport truck near New Orleans.

In 1987, reggae star Peter Tosh was shot and killed in his home in Kingston, Jamaica. Police said Tosh was shot in the head after he refused to give money to intruders.

In 1989, Latin bandleader Perez Prado, who helped spread the mambo craze throughout the world in the early 1950's, died in Mexico City of a stroke. He was 72.

In 1990, former Creedence Clearwater Revival member and brother to John, Tom Fogerty, died at age 48.

In 1996, bluegrass legend Bill Monroe died in Springfield, Tennessee at the age of 84.

In 1999, Australian saxophonist and TV personality Booby Limb died of cancer at age 74 in Adelaide, South Australia.

In 2000, Santana's long-time bass player David Brown in San Fransisco at age 50.

In 2001, filmmaker and producer Carolyn Beug was a passenger on the American Airlines flight that was hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11th. She won a MTV Video of the Year award for Van Halen's, 'Right Here, Right Now'. She was a senior VP of entertainment and educational productions for Walt Disney Consumer Products, overseeing the operations for Walt Disney Records, Disney Music Publishing and Disney Ice Shows.

In 2001, Johnny Heff (John F. Heffernan), a firefighter who died in the line of duty on the morning of the World Trade Center attack. Heff was a singer, songwriter and guitarist for The Bully’s Band. He had also worked with Marky Ramone.

In 2001, Christopher Pickford was a firefighter who died in the line of duty on the morning of the World Trade Center attack. Songwriter and guitarist. He was a member of Ten Degree Lean and Vitamin D and the Riboflavins.

In 2001, James Debueneure was a passenger on American Airlines flight 77 that was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon. He was a doo-wop singer for The Appeciations who recorded 'There’s A Place In My Heart' and 'It’s Better To Cry'.

In 2001, Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Farmer was an employee of Cantor Fitzgerald who was killed when a hijacked plane crashed into the World Trade Center. Farmer was a Jazz singer and composer who'd worked with Duke Ellington, Phyllis Pastore and her husband Fred Nesbit.

In 2001, Jeffrey P. Hardy was working as an executive chef for Cantor Fitzgerald in one of the World Trade Center towers. He was a bassist and worked with his brother Jack Hardy and many other Greenwich Village musicians.

In 2002, actress, writer and former wife of Aerosmith frontman Steve Tyler Cyrinda Foxe-Tyler (real name Kathleen Hetzekian) died of brain cancer. She wrote "Dream On", a book about her life with Steve Tyler. She was also the inspiration for David Bowie's "Jean Genie". Foxe-Tyler appeared in Andy Warhol's movie, "Bad". She was married to musician and artist Keith Waa and had been married to singer David Johansen (aka Buster Poindexter).

In 2003, singer/songwriter Warren Zevon after Zevon succumbing to mesothelioma, a rare lung cancer usually linked to asbestos exposure, a condition he was diagnosed with just over a year to the day before he died.
Housebound because of his illness, Zevon finished his final album, "The Wind", at his home. He lived long enough to see the birth of his twin boys grandchildren in June, 2003.

In 2003, legendary singer/songwriter/guitarist Johnny Cash passed away from complications brought about by diabetes. He had been ill for several weeks and had to cancel the scheduled performance of his new single "Hurt" (a Trent Reznor penned tune about drug addiction) at the 2004 MTV awards.
Below is a quote from a "regular Joe" made just after news of Johnny Cash's death trickled into the newsgroups around the place. This is a wonderfully written summary of one man's idea of Johnny Cash credited to a bloke simply named Billy:

Together with Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash was one of the four seminal hillbillies who came into Memphis out of the woods and weeds, laid their hands on American music, and changed it forever.

In my own musical experience, I could list a handful of essential signposts: the first time I ever heard Frank Zappa ("Freak Out" in 1966 -- I was too young to get it, and I remember that it was extremely weird, but it didn't drive me off completely); the first Hammond organ that I ever heard in a rock band (The Young Rascals); the bomb that went off in my head when I heard Louis Armstrong blowing "When The Saints Go Marching In", and a few others of similarly heavy import. However, I was riveted and amazed every time my father played and sang Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues". At the time, it was the most dynamic thing that I could even imagine going on with one guitar and one voice. And it's still way, way up there.

Forty years later, when I was a grown man and could speak to the subject with authority, I told my Dad, "Do you realize how hip you really were back then? I don't know if you know this, but you were playing the music of one of the proto-rockers."
That train-chuggin' beat was powerful far beyond its chart, wrapped as it was in blues-up-to-here and a plain-vanilla country twang, and it was emblematic of something utterly unique in our history.

It was barely two weeks ago that I first laid eyes on the video for Johnny's cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt". I was shocked and saddened by the very clear impression that it left on me as an artist's statement. Johnny was no stranger to pain in his life, but there was also something essentially graceful in his soul that I would have hoped to prevail to a greater degree than that, that near the end. He didn't owe anyone anything, but I wish he'd been able to leave us with a little more of a smile. It's a cinch that he will never be forgotten, though, and not just every hillbilly can claim that.

Good work, Johnny. So long.

Billy

In 2004, pioneer maker of rock 'n' roll guitar strings used by legions of artists from the Rolling Stones to Merle Travis, Ernie Ball passed away aged 74. From his small music shop in the San Fernando Valley, Ball built a business with annual sales of $US40 million ($A58 million) and a worldwide reputation. Along the way, he reinvented the way manufacturers and retailers thought of guitar accessories, branching out into many other accessories including pedals and straps. He purchased the Music Man guitar company in 1985 and, with his unique designs and the help of the Eddie Van Halen Signature models, made the company one of the world's guitar making leaders.

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