bmusic - Newsletter No. 238

In 1945, at ten years of age Elvis Presley made his musical stage debut, singing "Ol' Shep" at the Mississippi- Alabama Dairy Show. Presley came second and scored five dollars prize money.

In 1961, Bob Dylan made his debut at New York's Carnegie Hall in front of around 50 people, mostly friends and family. He earnt himself twenty dollars for the gig.

In 1964, the Rolling Stones announced the cancellation of a planned South African tour due to an anti-apartheid embargo by the British Musicians' Union.

In 1967, Cass Elliot of the Mama's & Papa's spent the night in a London jail after a dispute over a hotel bill.

In 1969, bluesman Muddy Waters was seriously injured and three other people killed in a car crash near Chicago.

In 1967, the Beatles rejected an offer of US$1 million to play Shea Stadium from promoter Sid Bernstein. Bernstein had been responsible for bringing the group to the stadium two years earlier for their now famous performance.

In 1969, for the first time in Beatles history a George Harrison song was released as the A side of a 45. "Something", with Lennon and McCartney's "Come Together" as the B side went to Number 1 in both the UK and the US.

In 1970, former Cream bassist Jack Bruce joined ex-Miles Davis sidemen John McLaughlin, Larry Young and Tony Williams to form Lifetime, one of the first jazz-rock fusion groups.

In 1973, Elvis and Priscilla Presley divorced after six years of marriage. In the settlement Priscilla received a substantial share of the couple's property portfolio; US$725,000 cash and an additional $4,200 a month for the support of their then five-year old daughter, Lisa Marie. Priscilla was also awarded half the proceeds from the planned sale of an L.A. home; and five percent of the total outstanding stock in two publishing companies. The couple emerged from a Santa Monica, California courthouse after the judgement arm in arm, kissed and departed separately.

In 1974, French pop singer Veronique Sanson played her first show in Paris and among those in her back-up band was her husband, Stephen Stills, on bass.

In 1975, John Lennon won his lengthy fight to stay in the U.S. when the three judge U.S. Court of Appeals in New York ruled that his 1968 arrest in Britain for possession of marijuana was contrary to U.S. ideas of due process and was, therefore, invalid as a means of banishing the former Beatle from America.

In 1975, Harry Chapin's "Cats In The Cradle" was released.

In 1976, one of the most bizarre novelty songs of all time, Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots "Disco Duck", was certified gold in the US. By December that same year the song had become only the fourth release in history to be certified platinum in the US.

In 1977, Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett left the group to pursue solo career.

In 1978, Mick Jagger apologised to the Reverend Jesse Jackson after Jackson denounced the Stones' song, "Some Girls" as racist. Jagger, however, refused to change the lyrics.

In 1979, the Eagles "Heartache Tonight" was released, the same day Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk" was also released.

In 1980, Carly Simon collapsed on stage during a show in Pittsburgh. Nervous exhaustion was the cause and the remainder of Simon's tour was canceled while she recuperated.

In 1980, the Bee Gees filed a suit against their manager, Robert Stigwood, and their record label, Polygram, for US$200 million. The Gibb boys charged misrepresentation, fraud and unfair enrichment at the Bee Gee's expense.

In 1980, Sex Pistols frontman Johnny Lydon (Johnny Rotten) was arrested in Dublin, Ireland after a barroom brawl. He was initially sentenced to a three-month jail term but was later acquitted.

In 1980, reggae legend Bob Marley collapsed onstage during a Wailers concert in Pittsburgh -- the last one he ever performed. Marley was flown directly to Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York City, where spokesmen denied the rumours circulating that Marley was dying of a brain tumor or cancer. He was then flown to Ethiopia to rest and later turned up at a German disease-treatment centre. Bob Marley died from a brain tumor in May 1981, enroute to Jamaica.

In 1982, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page received a 12 month conditional discharge after being found guilty of cocaine possession.

In 1987, Pink Floyd's first album without Roger Waters, 'A Momentary Lapse Of Reason', was released.

In 1988, Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon" slipped off the US Billboard 200 Album Chart after a record 741 weeks.

In 1988, Ringo Starr and his wife Barbara Bach traveled to Tucson, Arizona for alcohol abuse treatment. The completed the program on November 25, 1988 and returned to England.

In 1990, a Florida record store owner was found guilty of distributing obscene material. The store owner had been selling the banned 2 Live Crew LP 'As Nasty As They Wanna Be'.

In 1992, Sinead O'Connor tore up a picture of the pope during an appearance on "Saturday Night Live". This did NOT help her career.

In 1995, Rapper Tone Loc was arrested in Los Angeles for allegedly taking US$80 from a pizza store. He argued with the owner over a pizza and demanded his money back. Tone Loc pleaded no contest but served no jail time.

In 1996, David Lee Roth was fired from Van Halen - again! After recording a couple of numbers for the Van Halen Greatest Hits album and appearing with them on the MTV video awards, Roth was given his marching orders. Sammy Hagar had parted company with Alex, Eddie and Michael Anthony in June, 1996. Roth faxed an open letter to the press saying his appearance on MTV with the band was a publicity stunt orchestrated by the band and that the other members had no intentions of letting him back in.

In 1996, one day after the David Lee Roth debacle, Van Halen announced former Extreme singer Gary Cherone would be the replacement vocalist for the earlier departed Sammy Hagar.

In 2002, former Metallica bassist Jason Newstead announced he would be joining metal veterans Voivod in a full-time bass playing capacity.

In 2004, 43-year old singer/songwriter Melissa Etheridge cancelled an upcoming tour to undergo treatment after being diagnosed with breast cancer. She made a full and complete recovery.

In 2004, Elton John got stuck into Madonna and her nomination for a GQ award for "Best Live Act" whilst accepting his own award at the ceremony for these GQ things (whatever they are). To paraphrase Elton, "whoever charges someone 70 quid to watch them lip synch live should be shot". How many of us wouldn't concur with the sentiments Elton let spew forth during his outburst?

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Births In 1938, singer/guitarist Eddie Cochrane.

In 1938, Felix Pappalardi, bassist for Mountain producer for Cream.

In 1940, arguably the biggest name in modern music history, John Lennon, was born.

In 1941, singer Chubby Checker.

In 1943, sometimes controversial singer/songwriter/guitarist Steve Miller.

In 1944, The Who bassist John Entwhistle, who passed away earlier this year, was born.

In 1944, reggae legend Peter Tosh.

In 1947, Fleetwood Mac guitarist/singer Lindsay Buckingham.

In 1948, singer/songwriter/pianist Jackson Browne.

In 1949, Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates fame was born.

In 1949, AC/DC singer Brian Johnson.

In 1951, REO Speedwagon singer, Kevin Cronin, was born.

In 1951, John Mellencamp, John Cougar, John Cougar Mellencamp, whichever way you remember it.

In 1951, Johnny Ramone of the Ramones was born. Johnny worked with Rob Zombie to produce the 2002 Ramones Tribute album.

In 1954, Texan guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan was born. Vaughan died on the 27th of August 1990 in a helicopter crash along with three members of Eric Clapton's band.

In 1954, former Boomtown Rat Sir Bob Geldof.

In 1961, Methods of Mayhem frontman and former Motley Crue drummer, Tommy Lee.

In 1975, Sean Lennon, son of John Lennon, was born.

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Deaths In 1966, early British rocker Johnny Kidd was killed in a car accident in Lancashire, England. He'd led the Pirates, the first truly raunchy band in British rock history. Their big hit was 1960's "Shakin' All Over."

In 1967, folk singer/songwriter Woody Guthrie died in New York at the age of 55. Guthrie had spent the last ten years of his life in hospital, suffering from Huntington's disease.

In 1970, Janis Joplin was found dead of an apparent heroin overdose in her room at the Landmark Hotel in Hollywood. The 27 year old had just finished recording her second solo album, "Pearl."

In 1971, Gene Vincent, singer of the smash hit "Be-Bop-a-Lula", died of a bleeding ulcer at age 36.

In 1992, former Temptations singer Eddie Kendricks died of lung cancer. He was 52.

In 1995, Big Sugar drummer, Walter (Crash) Morgan, suffered a fatal aneurysm whilst on stage.

In 1997, Jonas Asher Bruce, son of legendary Cream co-founder Jack Bruce, died of asthma at the age of 29. Jonas was an accomplished musician himself and was a member of The Afro Celt Sound System. He'd worked with Peter Gabriel, Michael Brook and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, among others.

In 1997, Brown Meggs, the record executive responsible for signing the Beatles to Capitol Records, died of a brain hemorrhage.

In 1998, respected Gospel performer Raymond Myles was shot dead during a car jacking in New Orleans. He was 40 years old.

In 1999, Milt (Bags) Jackson, vibraphonist with the Modern Jazz Quartet, died from liver cancer at age 76. Jackson had worked with Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk, to name a few.

In 2000, The Cars bassist/singer Benjamin Orr passed away after a long pancreatic cancer. Orr was a prolific member of the emerging US New Wave movement, not only as a member of The Cars, but also in groups such as The Grasshoppers, Milkwood, and Cap'n Swing.

In 2001, Irmgard Keali'iwahinealohanohokahaopuamana Farden (aka Irmgard Farden Aluli, Aunty Irmgard). An inductee into the Hawaiian Music Hall Of Fame she was very important within her genre, but she appears here more for her cool name than anything else. Check it out, how many syllables are in that thing???!!!

In 2002, the original singer for Iron Butterfly, Darryl DeLoach, passed away from liver cancer aged 54.

In 2003, jazz trombonist Carl Fontana died after long suffering Alzheimer's Disease. Fontana pioneered the technique of "doodle tonguing", a multiple tongue technique used to facilitate smooth, fast legato playing on the slide trombone.

In 2003, former Power Station singer and successful solo artist Robert Palmer died in Paris, France of a heart attack. Power Station had a hit with their remake of "Bang A Gong" and Palmer's solo hits "Addicted To Love" and "Simply Irresitible" were worldwide smash hits.

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