bmusic - Newsletter No. 236

In 1964, Beatles manager Brian Epstein turned down a 3 1/2 million pound offer to buy out the Beatles management contract. The offer came from a group of U.S. businessmen.

In 1966, the Rolling Stones began what was to be their last British tour for more than four years. Joining them on the bill were the Ike and Tina Turner Revue and the Yardbirds.

In 1966, Jimi Hendrix and his manager Chas Chandler arrived in London from New York, where Chandler discovered Hendrix working in Greenwich go-go clubs. Chandler convinced Hendrix that Britain would be more receptive to his style. During the trans-atlantic flight, Hendrix changed the spelling of his first name from Jimmy to Jimi.

In 1969, John Lennon recorded "Cold Turkey" with a backing band that included Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman, Yoko Ono and Ringo Starr.

In 1971, Pink Floyd became the first rock group to play at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. They performed "Atom Heart Mother," which had been released as an album the previous year.

In 1974, Bachman Turner Overdrive's "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" was released.

In 1975, soul singer Jackie Wilson suffered a heart attack while performing at the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Due to the heart attack, Wilson suffered brain damage and lapsed into a coma. Ironically, he was in the middle of singing one of his biggest hits, "Lonely Teardrops," and was two words into the line, "....my heart is crying" when he collapsed. He was 41 years old.

In 1976, The Beatles appeared on the cover of TIME magazine.

In 1977, the first Elvis Presley convention was held in Memphis, Tennessee.

In 1980, David Bowie replaced Philip Anglim in the title role of the hit Broadway play, "The Elephant Man," in New York City.

In 1980, John Lennon signed with Geffen Records.

In 1983, the members of KISS appeared on MTV for the first time without their trademark makeup.

In 1985, the first "Farm-Aid" concert, organised by Willie Nelosn, John Mellencamp and Neil Young, was staged. This first concert raised US$10 million for the nation's farmers.

In 1988, soul singer James Brown was arrested in Georgia after leading police on an hour long chase through two states.

In 1989, all-girl pop/rock group The Bangles officially broke up.

In 1991, co-founding Guns 'N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin quit the band. He was later replaced by Gilby Clarke.

In 1991, fans lined up at record stores across the globe as two simultaneously-released albums by Guns N' Roses - "Use Your Illusion One" and "Use Your Illusion Two" - went on sale at midnight.

In 1992, Bruce Springsteen and his band played "MTV Unplugged" but made one slight change. They played all electric instruments, prompting MTV to rename the show "MTV Plugged".

In 2002, The Australian promoter who was to bring former Beach Boy Brian Wilson to Australia for his first ever solo tour was arrested on fraud charges. Ben Beath was alleged to have been behind a $19m fraud and had paid Wilson $250,000 as a deposit on the tour. The promoter was charged with "obtaining financial advantage by deception". Reports stated Beath had already spent $3m of the money raised. There was also suggestion Wilson may be legally responsible for handing back the stolen money.

In 2002, a cornoer's toxicology report found that Drowning Pool singer Dave Williams' death was due to natural causes. It was concluded that the 30-year-old singer died from cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle. Williams' condition, concentric left ventricular hypertrophy, prevented blood flow from the left ventricle to the right. Williams was never diagnosed with the disease, the cause of which is unknown. Nasal swabs indicated no traces of cocaine and none was present in his system.

In 2004, Yusaf Islam, formerly Cat Stevens, was disallowed entry into the United States after flying there with his daughter. The U.S. government has Yusaf on a "no fly" list, claiming links with terrorists. A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security made the statement, "Yusuf Islam has been placed on the watch lists because of activities that could potentially be related to terrorism. It's a serious matter." Yusaf was not impressed but didn't say a lot, returning to the UK after his refusal of entry order was given.
Read more about Yusaf Islam and his post-Cat Stevens work in our Where Are They Now? feature HERE.

In 2004 the former manager of Australia's inaugural Popstars product, Bardot, successfully sued the Popstars show's producers for breach of contract. A counter-claim was made against the manager, Grant Thomas, but he still walked out with around 40 grand after paying out the counter-claim was also successful. Sadly, I'd be surprised if the girls themselves ever saw anything like that amount of money whilst working as Bardot.

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Births In 1942, Linda McCartney was born. She died after a long battle with cancer in 1998.

In 1947, Eagles guitarist Don Felder.

In 1949, Bruce Springsteen was born in Freehold, New Jersey.

In 1960, singer/guitarist Joan Jett.

In 1972, Oasis' Liam Gallagher.

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Deaths In 1970, Jimi Hendrix, rock music's most innovative guitarist in the late 1960's, was found dead in a London apartment at the age of 27. He had left the message "I need help bad, man" on his manager Chas Chandler's answering machine. The coroner said Hendrix choked on his own vomit after barbituate intoxication.

In 1974, the Average White Band drummer Robbie McIntosh was found dead in his North Hollywood hotel room. He died of a heroin overdose. Earlier that night he had inhaled a white powder he'd thought to be cocaine but which was actually pure heroin. McIntosh was 24.

In 1980, Led Zeppelin drummer John "Bonzo" Bonham died at the age of 32 of asphyxiation on his own vomit after drinking forty shots of vodka on the eve of the band's U.S. tour. Led Zeppelin then disbanded, deciding Bonham was irreplaceable.

In 1981, composer Harry Warren (Salvatore Anthony Guaragna) died at age 88. Warren composed "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" and "I Only Have Eyes for You" as well as over 400 songs for about 90 different movies.

In 1986, founding Metallica bassist Cliff Burton died in a tour bus accident in Sweden while the band was on tour there. Burton, who played on the classic Metallica albums "Kill 'Em All", "Ride The Lightning" and "Master of Puppets", was crushed underneath the bus when it skidded on black ice and rolled. At the time of the accident, in the middle of the night, Burton was asleep in a bunk he had earlier beaten guitarist Kirk Hammett to.

In 1991, jazz legend Miles Davis, suffering from pneumonia, died from a stroke and respiratory failure. Davis worked with Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett and many, many others and is regarding as one of the father's of modern jazz. He was 65 years old.

In 1994, Urmas Elander, singer for the Euro group Ruja, died along with 852 other passengers and crew when the ferry Estonia sank in the Baltic Sea.

In 1999, be-bop guitarist Sal Salvador, the author of many jazz instruction books and leader of The Colors in Sound Orchestra, died from cancer at age 73.

In 2000, Benny Goodman Sextet drummer Nick Fatool died at the age of 85.

In 2001, big band drummer Rudy Razo died after a long illness complicated by heart and diabetes problems. Razo worked with Stan Kenton, Kenny Rogers, Vicki Carr, Buddy Ruiz, Renee Sandoval and many others.

In 2002, folk/rock singer/songwriter Tim Rose died after surgery for bowel cancer. His death occurred one day after his 62nd birthday. Rose was a member of The Smoothies (with John Phillips and Scott McKenzie), half of the duo Michael And Timothy and also was a member of The Big Three (with James Hendricks and Cass Elliot). He did "Hey Joe" and "Morning Dew".

In 2003, Australia's most awarded and prolific country artist, Slim Dusty, passed away aged 76. Slim's real name was David Gordon Kirkpatrick and his daughter, Anne Kirkpatrick, has followed in her father's footsteps.

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