WHERE ARE THEY NOW? - STOCK, AITKEN AND WATERMAN
These three guys weren't exactly musicians as we would normally focus on here in the Where Are They Now? segment, yet they are
just as important to the history of modern music (if not more so) than most of the musicians we've studied thus far. The fact
of the matter is, depending on which way you look at it the team of Stock, Aitken and Waterman were either the saviors or
the destroyers of modern pop music. They were the absolute architects of UK pop music in the Eighties and changed the industry
of Western pop music forever.
Below is a brief account of what Stock, Aitken and Waterman achieved as a team and what they've been up to since.
|
Stock, Aitken and Waterman (SAW) are names synonymous with late 1980s chart pop.
There was Pete Waterman, the ideas man from a poor working-class background who was the trio's lyricist (despite being
illiterate until his 40s) manager and general wheeler-dealer. Between making records he found time to present British channel
ITV's late-night club program, The Hitman and Her, a precursor to the world of Ibiza Uncovered. Getting on
with things in the studio were the multi-instrumentalists Mick Stock and Matt Aitken, writing, producing and playing the
actual music.
Waterman had a history as a Northern Soul DJ, following its development in US clubs into disco and then Hi-NRG, and had a
vision of a British equivalent of Motown, producing uplifting, working-class dance music in a production line style. The
Motown in-house writers and producers, Holland Dozier Holland, were his role models. Waterman boasted he had 'Woolworth's
ears', a knack for spotting trends in clubs and recycling them as catchy, mass-market pop.
|
He took what was then the most modern sound of New York gay clubs -
pumping sequencer bass lines and relentless Linn drum machines, and married it with the perennial teenage hunger for
colourful, glamorous poster stars. SAW started off in 1984 with gay-targeted singles like Hazel Dean's 'Whatever I Do,
Wherever I Go', Divine's 'You Think You're a Man' and Dead or Alive's 'You Spin Me Round'. The trio then turned Bananarama
into glamorous gay male-friendly divas, complete with the ubiquitous sexy boy dance troupe in every video. In 1986 they
came up with the genius hairdresser duo of Mel and Kim and their four singles: 'Respectable', 'FLM', 'Showing Out
(Get Fresh at the Weekend)' and 'That's the Way it is' had absolute appeal to the teenage market SAW were looking to capture.
SAW discovered and groomed new singing stars like Brother Beyond and Rick Astley, or took already famous faces from the
world of TV and tabloids like Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Samantha Fox and moulded them into a processed vocal sheen
that soon became as much part of the trademark SAW sound.
|
|
Kylie Minogue's debut single, 'I Should Be So Lucky' represented the zenith of the SAW story, dominating the charts and
irritating and delighting the nation in equal measures with its brazenly banal approach to pop songwriting. The trio
actually release a few singles as SAW themselves, the single 'Roadblock' being one, but for all intents and purposes
every record was really just SAW featuring Kylie, or Rick, or Jason.
Their reputation made them highly sought producers for anyone after a guaranteed hit. By 1989, Donna Summer, Cliff Richard
and even Sigue Sigue Sputnik required their services. In 1990 their sound evolved along with Kylie's new 'sexy dance diva'
phase with 'Better the Devil you Know', which was officially SAW's 100th hit, 'Step Back In Time', 'What Do I Have To Do'
and 'Shocked'. But the new sound, though suave, complex, and more timeless, lacked the SAW homogenous identity, and for
the first time a SAW artist upstaged her producers.
When Aitken left the partnership in 1991 and Stock followed suit a year later, their hegemony of the charts was over.
Factors for the break-up included Stock and Aitken's frustration that their sound no longer seemed relevant to the
changing pop market place. Their last creation, an all-girl group called Boy Krazy, failed to deliver the kind of success
they were used to. Moreover, disagreements between the musical duo and Waterman over division of royalties and major label
business deals, had reached a head. High Court legal battles worth millions of pounds ensued throughout the 1990s, and the
collaboration as a trio was over.
The royalties disputes spent years in court with Stock and Aitken claiming Waterman breached an 1985 verbal deal to share
all profits. Waterman denied there was an agreement and claimed Stock and Aitken were entitled to cash only for
production work and songwriting. He denied they had a continuing interest in SAW work. He also claimed they had rejected a
chance to be co-owners of PAL Productions, the record label all three set up in 1986.
Stock and Aitken were ordered to pay £70,000 for Watermans's legal costs when the High Court trial finally settled. A trial which lasted only
five days yet the action had been ongoing for some years.
Other legal battles continued, one of which seemed to see Waterman suing his own company. Waterman claimed that was owed
more than £1 million in royalties from records spanning eight years. Waterman alleged that Stock, Aitken and Waterman, the
company in which he has a one-third share, had failed to account for the money. Waterman was quoted as referring to the
legal action he had brought about a "technicality".
Stock and Aitken continued to produce 'bill-paying' hits for the likes of Robson and Jerome for their label 'Love This
Records'. Meanwhile, Pete Waterman was not fairing as well as he once had.
Waterman had led a far more lavish lifestyle than his colleagues at the height of their careers, owning 18 classic Jaguars
and Ferraris, which he kept at his £500,000 mansion in Cheshire. In 1990, Waterman founded his own rail company, Waterman
Railways, with Sir William McAlpine during the privatisation of British Rail but it is believed to have swallowed much of
his £60 million fortune. It was Waterman's childhood dream to own his own railway.
Stock and Aitken 'Love This Records' was scoring hits on the gay-disco scene with club classics like Tatjana's 'Sante Maria' and
Newton's 'Sky High'. In 1997, Mike Stock took part in Roger Cook's attempt to expose the illegal hyping of singles to gain
chart hits, using Debbie Currie, daughter of the politician Edwina Currie, as the singer for their test single. The scam
backfired and failed to result in a hit. The following year saw Stock launch a sizable compensation lawsuit against London
Underground, whose nearby tunneling for the new Jubilee Rail Line Extension had allegedly ruined the soundproofing of his
studio and damaged his livelihood. The duo returned to making chart hits in 1999 with the Steps-like group, Scooch.
Waterman was facing a grim future with his fortune dwindling and his staff, once over 40 people, down to just two after
ploughing all his money into the rail venture. Things were obviously not panning out with Waterman Railways as, in the latter half
of the Nineties, he returned to the world of production.
He was soon back on top with his massively successful creation, Steps. He also produced chart-toppers for Westlife and
N-Trance, among others. Waterman was back and in October 2000, he published his autobiography, I Wish I Was Me.
The bitterness between the trio continues to this day, with the duo of Stock and Aitken having nothing to do with
Pete Waterman. It is said Waterman always caused resentment because he was so flash and often took the credit for
everything the three did. A source close to the three was once quoted as saying "It is true that they all drink in the
same pub, but one drinks in the public bar, the others in the saloon bar. They refuse to acknowledge each other. It is
99 per cent ego and one per cent money. But you cannot deny that Pete's vision got their projects off the ground in the
beginning. He had a magic ear - he selected all Kylie's songs and chose 90 per cent of their hits." Aitken himself once
said, "If you are successful and boast about it, people won't like you for it. And Pete was always in the newspapers."
If you'd like us to track down some of stars of the past for you and feature them in
Where Are They Now? drop us an e-mail at bmusic
and we'll see what we can do.
BACK TO CONTENTS
LAST WEEK'S AUSTRALIAN CHARTS
Each week in the bmusic Newsletter you can find the Top 20 Australian albums and singles from the previous week.
Here are the Top 20 charts from ARIA for the week commencing 16th September,
2002.
TOP 20 AUSTRALIAN SINGLES
| NO. | TITLE | ARTIST |
| 1 |
COMPLICATED |
Avril Lavigne |
| 2 |
THE LOGICAL SONG |
Scooter |
| 3 |
OBJECTION (TANGO) |
Shakira |
| 4 |
TRIBUTE |
Tenacious D |
| 5 |
EVERYDAY |
Bon Jovi |
| 6 |
A THOUSAND MILES |
Vanessa Carlton |
| 7 |
TWO WRONGS/PJ'S |
Wyclef Jean feat Claudette Ortiz |
| 8 |
HEAVEN DJ |
Sammy |
| 9 |
JUST A LITTLE |
Liberty X |
| 10 |
RICH GIRL |
Selwyn |
| 11 |
PAPA DON'T PREACH |
Kelly Osbourne |
| 12 |
BARENAKED |
Jennifer Love Hewitt |
| 13 |
GET OVER YOU |
Sophie Ellis Bextor |
| 14 |
IT JUST WON'T DO |
Tim Deluxe |
| 15 |
CREEPIN' UP SLOWLY |
Taxiride |
| 16 |
DON'T TURN OFF THE LIGHTS |
Enrique Englesias |
| 17 |
A LITTLE LESS CONVERSATION |
Elvis Presley Vs JXL
|
| 18 |
BOYS |
Britney Spears |
| 19 |
HOT IN HERRE |
Nelly |
| 20 |
JAMES DEAN (I WANNA KNOW) |
James Bedingfield |
TOP 20 AUSTRALIAN ALBUMS
| NO. | TITLE | ARTIST |
| 1 |
ESCAPE |
Enrique Iglesias |
| 2 |
A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD |
Coldplay |
| 3 |
THE EMINEM SHOW |
Eninem |
| 4 |
LAUNDRY SERVICE |
Shakira |
| 5 |
LET GO |
Avril Lavigne |
| 6 |
BY THE WAY |
Red Hot Chili Peppers |
| 7 |
FEVER |
Kylie Minogue |
| 8 |
NELLYVILLE |
Nelly |
| 9 |
GARAGE MAHAL |
Taxiride |
| 10 |
MEANT TO BE |
Selwyn |
| 11 |
HOME |
Dixie Chicks |
| 12 |
PAGING MR STRIKE |
Machine Gun Fellatio |
| 13 |
IMAGINE |
Eva Cassidy |
| 14 |
SONGS FOR THE DEAF |
Queens of the Stone Age |
| 15 |
ENCORE |
Russell Watson |
| 16 |
DESTINATION |
Ronan Keating |
| 17 |
DISCO MONTEGO |
Disco Montego |
| 18 |
SHOOT THIS |
Motor Ace |
| 19 |
A FUNK ODYSSEY |
Jamiroquai |
| 20 |
IDENTICAL REMOTE CONTROLLED REACTIONS |
Superheist |
BACK TO CONTENTS
HEADLINES FROM LAST WEEK'S MUSIC NEWS
16TH ANNUAL ARIA AWARDS NOMINATIONS
The nominations for the 16th Annual ARIA Awards have been announced. See ARIA Award Nominations for
the list of the nominations in the top categories for the awards to be held on October 15th in Sydney.
MACARENA II
Looks like we'll be hit with another "Macarena" this coming summer. The tip for the season's 'feel good' dance track is by
Spanish trio Las Ketchup. The three sisters, daughters of flamenco guitarist Tomate are set to release their
single, 'The Ketchup Song', in Australia on October 7th. The song has already hit No.1 in Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Holland
and Belgium. I for one can't wait (read - 'sarcasm').
SOAPIE STAR SONGSTRESS
'Her talent will stand alone', says Warner Music Australia chairman Shaun James. Of course his statement is reference to the
impending release of yet another soapie star's single. This time Rebecca Cartwright of Home and Away fame is kicking
off her music career. Her single, 'All Seats Taken', will be released on October 18th. Apparently this follows months of "intense
preparation and planning". Once again, I for one can't wait. Aaargh!
KYLIE STILL TO PERFORM AT ARIA's
Word is that, despite her current sabbatical, Kylie Minogue will still perform as scheduled at the upcoming ARIA awards in
October. The booking hasn't been confirmed but she is likely to appear, given that she received six ARIA award nominations
this past week.
AUDIOSLAVE SINGLE OUT SOON
The first single from Rage Against The Machine/Chris Cornell outfit Audioslave is 'Cochise'. Guitarist Tom Morello
says the song is about the last great American Indian chief to die free and unconquered. Seems the political nature of the
group goes far beyond the ravings of the group's former frontman. The single is the first taken from the forthcoming album
to be released on November 18th worldwide.
PEPSI TO SEND LANCE BASS OUT OF THIS WORLD
Just when it seemed N'Sync's Lance Bass' hopes of heading off into space on a Russian space mission Pepsi have stepped in to
save the singer's dream project. His original sponsor pulled its funding assistance but Pepsi have stepped up, suggesting
they will fork out the $34 million to send Bass out of this world. Can't wait to see the advertising that comes out of that
sponsorship deal.
CORONER RELEASES FINDINGS ON DEATH OF DEE DEE RAMONE
The Los Angeles coroner has ruled that Dee Dee Ramone, found dead in his Hollywood apartment on June 5 this year aged 49, died
of an accidental morphine overdose.
UK ARTISTS OPPOSE IRAQ INVASION
Several prominent UK artists have weighed in to the debate on the possible invasion of Iraq. Damon Albarn (Blur/Gorillaz), Brian Eno,
and Del Naja (Massive Attack) have signed a petition that opposes British military involvement on any US-led invasion of Iraq.
This comes from a spokesman for the Campaign for Nuclear Development who delivered the petition to British Prime Minister Tony
Blair during the week.
NEW NIRVANA ALBUM BY CHRISTMAS
Courtney Love, appearing on Howard Stern's radio show, has announced that her long running legal battle with Kurt Cobain's
former bandmates is over. Love announced, "You'll get the new Nirvana record at Christmas. We love each other. We're
getting along. We worked it all out." Stern then asked Love what led to the settlement, to which she replied, "Lots and lots
and lots of money".
BACK TO CONTENTS
ARIA AWARDS NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED
The nominations for the 2002 ARIA awards have been announced and many of the award categories and their respective nominees
can be found below. The award ceremony will be held at the Sydney Superdome on Tuesday, October 15th 2002. Check ARIA.com.au for the full list of categories
and nominees and the latest news regarding this
year's awards. You can also find an interesting historical account of the awards at the official awards page.
2002 ARIA AWARDS NOMINEES
HIGHEST SELLING ALBUM
Kasey Chambers
BARRICADES & BRICKWALLS
Alex Lloyd
WATCHING ANGELS MEND
Kylie Minogue
FEVER
The 12th Man
THE FINAL DIG?
Nikki Webster
FOLLOW YOUR HEART
HIGHEST SELLING SINGLE
Kasey Chambers
NOT PRETTY ENOUGH
Alex Lloyd
AMAZING
Kylie Minogue
CAN'T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD
Shakaya
STOP CALLING ME
Holly Valance
KISS KISS
BEST NEW ARTIST - SINGLE
Machine Gun Fellatio
GIRL OF MY DREAMS (IS GIVING ME NIGHTMARES)
1200 Techniques
KARMA
Holly Valance
KISS KISS
The Vines
GET FREE
The Waifs
LONDON STILL
BEST NEW ARTIST - ALBUM
Dan Brodie & The Broken Arrows
EMPTY ARMS BROKEN HEARTS
Eskimo Joe
GIRL
George
POLYSERENA
1200 Techniques
CHOOSE ONE
The Vines
HIGHLY EVOLVED
BEST ROCK ALBUM
Grinspoon
NEW DETENTION
Alex Lloyd
WATCHING ANGELS MEND
Motor Ace
SHOOT THIS
Silverchair
DIORAMA
The Vines
HIGHLY EVOLVED
BEST JAZZ ALBUM
Dale Barlow
DALE BARLOW LIVE
Andrea Keller
THIRTEEN SKETCHES
James Morrison
SCREAM MACHINE
James Muller
THRUM
The Umbrellas
BRAVO NINO ROTA
BEST MALE ARTIST
Dan Brodie
EMPTY ARMS BROKEN HEARTS
Darren Hayes
SPIN
Paul Kelly
NOTHING BUT A DREAM
Alex LLoyd
WATCHING ANGELS MEND
Paulmac
3000 FEET HIGH
BEST FEMALE ARTIST
Kasey Chambers
BARRICADES & BRICKWALLS
Natalie Imbruglia
WHITE LILLIES ISLAND
Lisa Miller
CAR TAPE
Kylie Minogue
FEVER
Holly Valance
KISS KISS
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Kasey Chambers
NOT PRETTY ENOUGH
Grinspoon
CHEMICAL HEART
Alex LLoyd
AMAZING
Kylie Minogue
CAN'T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD
The Vines
GET FREE
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Kasey Chambers
BARRICADES & BRICKWALLS
George
POLYSERENA
Alex Lloyd
WATCHING ANGELS MEND
Kylie Minogue
FEVER
Silverchair
DIORAMA
BACK TO CONTENTS
THIS WEEK'S MUSIC QUOTE
"Music creates order out of chaos: for rhythm imposes unanimity upon the divergent, melody imposes continuity upon the disjointed, and harmony imposes compatibility upon the incongruous.
".
- Yehudi Menuhin
BACK TO CONTENTS
NEW LINES - DRUM HARDWARE
This past week we've been busy extending our online inventory even further. Over 100 new pieces of drum
hardware can now be found at bmusic.com.au. All the essential hardware like cymbal stands, thrones, bass drum pedals and more.
For those who'd like to quieten things down a little we've also added an entire category devoted to drum practice equipment.
Various practice pads, practice cymbals, drum mute pads, and the ever-popular 5-piece practice pad kit are now available
online.
Click on a link below to check out the new additions to bmusic.com.au:
Bass Drum Pedals
Hi-Hat Stands
Thrones/Stools
Snare Stands
Cymbal Stands
Cymbal and Mic Boom Arms
Multi Clamps for Racks etc.
BACK TO CONTENTS
FEATURED PRODUCT - CASIO CTK-671 KEYBOARD
|
The CASIO CTK-671 61-note keyboard is about as good as they get for the price. The 671 features Casio's new 'ZPI Sound Chip'
technology which has radically improved the tonality offered on the Casio keyboards employing it. The improved sound is
further enhanced by the powerful 'Bass Reflex' speaker system of the Casio CTK-671.
Then there's the other features. Full 16-channel MIDI, 142 Digital Effects, Touch Response, and so on.
To learn a lot more about the CASIO CTK-671 Keyboard and to check out the special Featured Product price, click
HERE.
|
If you have a review or would like to write reviews for bmusic,
e-mail Shane for more information.
BACK TO CONTENTS
VINTAGE AND ITEMS OF INTEREST AVAILABLE AT bmusic
Marshall VT-1 Vibratrem Pedal - $145 incl. GST, $132 excl. GST for international buyers.
Click HERE to view in detail.
Excellent condition Marshall VT-1 Vibratrem pedal. No box or instructions. Hardly used. Selling for half the new retail price. Take a step back in time to the British amps of the early sixties with the Vibratrem's authentic vintage effects, from trembling groovy tremolo to psychedelic quasi-vibrato. The passive bypass ensures that your real guitar tone remains uneffected when you are not "vibratreming".
BOSS BF-2 Flanger Pedal - $119 incl. GST, $108 excl. GST for international buyers.
Click HERE to view in detail.
Excellent condition BOSS FB-2 Flanger pedal. No box or instructions. Hardly used. Selling for a fraction of the new retail price.
1990 Fender Stratocaster - USA Lefty - $1499 incl. GST, $1362 excl. GST for international buyers.
Click HERE to view in detail.
Particularly striking custom flame top. By custom we mean custom. Original owner, a cabinetmaker, decided to laminate this
USA Fender Strat with flame maple. Clearly the guy was a perfectionist and, as such, has done a beautiful job. But, at the end
of the day, this is a re-fin in every sense of the term. Sperzel tuners, not a mark on the guitar. Complete with OHSC. Mint
(albeit customised) condition. This guitar has barely been played.
Rockman 'Tom Scholz' X100 Headphone Amp - $150 incl. GST, $136 excl. GST for international buyers.
Click HERE to view in detail.
Primarily used for practice, this popular 80's gizmo was noisy as all get out but gave you that unique late 70's sound
found on the Boston albums. Combining several switchable "amp" settings, this unit delivers a lot of modern sound. It packs
a mighty punch for its size but the signal to noise ratio makes it useless for a live date. With a 1/4 inch output jack one
is tempted to connect it to an amp but the real fun is strapping it on your hip, using phones and wailing away to your own
"More Than A Feeling"! Clean I and II plus edge and all out distortion combined with effects combinations like chorus and
echo, just echo or just chorus. Ahead of its time in functionality, the Rockman X-100 is, sadly, no longer in production.
See X-100 for a comprehensive write up of the
x-100 plus some sound samples.
Check out Harmony Central
X-100 Reviews to see how much people who own these things love 'em.
Kentucky KM-180S Mandolin - $550 incl. GST, $500 excl. GST for international buyers.
Price negotiable.
Click HERE to view in detail.
Beautiful condition Kentucky KM-180S Mandolin. Solid spruce top. Solid mahogany neck. Gloss sunburst finish. Complete with
pickup and case. Very slight nick on soundboard. Sweet playing mando.
1996/1997 G & L Legacy Special - $1300 incl. GST, $1181 excl. GST for international buyers.
Click HERE to view in detail.
Beautiful 1996/1997 G & L Legacy Special Strat® style guitar. Near mint condition. 2 G&L Dual Blade and 1 G&L Power Blade humbucking pickups.
Hard Rock Maple neck with Rosewood fingerboard. G&L Dual Fulcrum vibrato. Schaller locking tuners. Alder body with Cherryburst finish.
Includes non-original hard case.
BACK TO CONTENTS
SPECIALS AT bmusic
In the lead up to Christmas keep a keen eye on the Specials page as more and more great prices are offered on regular
lines as well as gift ideas for the festive season.
Weekly specials can be found in detail
HERE
CASIO CTK-671 61-note KEYBOARD - $499 save $100 off RRP
CASIO CTK-481 61-note KEYBOARD - $299 save $30 off RRP
DEAN ML PHANTOM STANDARD DEMO MODEL - $859 save $140 off RRP
MONTEREY LES PAUL GOLD TOP - $599 save $100 off RRP
SCHECTER C1 WILKINSON GUITAR - $1229 save $140 off RRP
DEAN EDGE Q5 5-string BASS - $999 save $100 off RRP
ASLIN DANE AMB200 5-string BASS - $529 save $70 off RRP
STENTOR CONSERVATOIRE 4/4 VIOLIN OUTFIT - $399 save $50 off RRP
STENTOR CONSERVATOIRE 3/4 VIOLIN OUTFIT - $359 save $40 off RRP
STENTOR STUDENT 1 1/2 VIOLIN OUTFIT - $179 save $20 off RRP
STENTOR STUDENT 1 1/4 VIOLIN OUTFIT - $179 save $20 off RRP
STENTOR STUDENT 1 1/8 VIOLIN OUTFIT - $179 save $20 off RRP
STENTOR STUDENT 1 1/16 VIOLIN OUTFIT - $179 save $20 off RRP
DIGITECH X-SERIES EFFECTS PEDALS - $249 save $36 off RRP
KUSTOM PROFILE 1 PA COMBO - $999 save $100 off RRP
DEAN TRADITION S12 12-string ACOUSTIC - $799 save $100 off RRP
ROCKTRON TSUNAMI CHORUS PEDAL - $159 save $40 off RRP
ROCKTRON AUSTIN GOLD OVERDRIVE PEDAL - $159 save $40 off RRP
ROCKTRON RAMPAGE DISTORTION PEDAL - $159 save $40 off RRP
BACK TO CONTENTS
THIS WEEK'S FEATURE ARTICLE
Ever wondered what pickups were all about? Four-conductor wiring, resonant peak, RW/RP, active, passive. These terms and more
are all explained in our Tech Tips article on pickups, compliments of the great Seymour Duncan.
Click
HERE to read the article.
BACK TO CONTENTS
FEATURED ARTIST - SUGARDADDY SUPERSTAR
This South Carolina four-piece's music is a nice mix of rock and some street style scratch. They are fast working their
way into the American record-buying public's consciousness. Sugardaddy Superstar are a great sounding band featuring great
musicians. But here's the best part: the band writes, records and produces their own music as well as manufactures CDs in
their home studio, 'Sugarstar Studios'. Due to large support from local, mainstream and Internet radio stations, retail
and Internet sales of the bands CD have soared. SDSS have enlisted a few key people to help them along their way and,
with those people, has become a self-contained unit. The band and their team take care of all their finances, taxes,
merchandising, licensing, copyrighting, publishing, legal representation, promotion, booking, live performance, sound,
lighting, web presence and recording. That's the way to do it - Up the record companies!
Check out the Sugardaddy Superstar website to learn more about them and, most importantly,
to hear them. Click HERE to visit
the Band Links site and follow the link to the official Sugardaddy Superstar site.
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.
BACK TO CONTENTS
MUSICIANS WANTED
New listings on the Musicians Wanted page at bmusic.com.au this week include New York bass player Dickie Ray who is
looking for a paying gig. He is willing to relocate in the US. Dickie has played with bands such as Tommy Stinsons
(bash&pop), the Hangmen, Broken Glass, and others. If you can help head over to Musicians Wanted for Dickie's contact details.
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.
BACK TO CONTENTS
GEAR WANTED
Fender Cases. A customer would REALLY like an original seventies black tolex Fender bass case. Condition isn't
too important, just as long as it's original.
Marshall JCM800's. That's right, we want 'em again. JCM800 2203 and 2204 models. Mainly after heads but will consider
combos.
Second-hand saxes. Looking for good quality, good condition, saxophones. Brands like Yamaha, Yanigasawa,
Selmer, Buescher etc. would be great.
Fender Combos. Smaller Fender combos sought by a fastidious buyer. Vibrolux or Duals et al, but early. Silver or Black faces.
No Custom Shop reissues though.
Fender Silverface Bassmans. A keen collector is after heads and cabs from the 60's and 70's. AB165 heads more
particularly. Later AB135's may also be of interest. Of course, if you have an early Blackface you'd like to sell for the
price of a Silverface then we'd be more than happy to entertain those too!
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.
BACK TO CONTENTS
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.
BACK TO CONTENTS
bmusic AND THE FUTURE - CHRISTMAS IS COMING
Many customers over the past weeks have been shopping in-store and online for Christmas gifts. Three months and one week out from
the busiest time of the year and people are already getting in and getting it done. Fair enough too. With this in mind,
we have started listing lots and lots of goodies for the festive season online and boosted our stocks in store. Expect to see more and more such
products being listed in the coming weeks as we brace ourselves for the onslaught. With over two thousand products online
now at bmusic.com.au it may take you a little while to browse all the products we have. To save time, simply use the
Search page. As with any search engine, it helps the process
to use specific key words or to broaden your search by trying a number of key words one at a time that you think may fit
the description of the item you are looking for. If you still can't find what you're after simple
mail us and we'll see if we can't help.
In the very near future our specials page will be dedicated to the products we think would make great gifts so keep watching
that page to see what our taste in presents is like. You wouldn't believe the amount of products available that
the 'musician who has everything' doesn't actually have!
Three months and one week to go and counting.
BACK TO CONTENTS
THE WEEK AHEAD IN MUSIC
Events
In 1961, Bob Dylan commenced a two week stint as the opening act for the Greenbriar Boys at Gerde's Folk City in
New York's Greenwich Village.
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 1965, Queen Elizabeth II decorated The Beatles with the Order of the British Empire.
In 1965, the Who began a short tour of Copenhagen, during which Roger Daltrey punched out Keith Moon. Daltrey was
temporarily kicked out of the band.
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 1967, TIME magazine featured the Beatles on it's cover.
In 1968, Janis Joplin's manager Albert Grossman announced that Joplin would be departing from Big Brother and the
Holding Company in November after fulfilling current obligations. Joplin was quoted as saying that she and the band
"weren't growing together anymore."
In 1969, John Lennon recorded "Cold Turkey" with a backing band that included Eric Clapton, Klaus Voorman, Yoko Ono
and Ringo Starr.
In 1972, David Bowie and the Spiders From Mars kicked off Bowie's first ever US tour.
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, A&M Records sued George Harrison after he failed to deliver his LP, "33 1/3" on time. At the time,
Harrison was suffering from hepatitis.
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 1985, the first Farm Aid concert was held in Champaign, Illinois. The concert, organised by Willie Nelson, Neil
Young and John Mellencamp, raised US$10 million to aid struggling American farmers.
In 1988, soul singer James Brown was arrested in Georgia after leading police on an hour long chase through two
states.
In 1991, co-founding Guns 'N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin quit the band. He was later replaced by Gilby Clarke.
In 1992, Bruce Springsteen played MTV's Unplugged but he and his band played an electric show. The episode was renamed
'MTV Plugged'.
BACK TO CONTENTS
Births
In 1938, singer Ben E. King, most remembered for his hit 'Stand By Me' was born.
In 1942, Linda McCartney was born. She died after a long battle with cancer in 1998.
In 1943, Randy Bachman, guitarist and vocalist for the Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
In 1945, Roxy Music vocalist and solo artist, Brian Ferry.
In 1947, singer and actor Meatloaf.
In 1949, Bruce Springsteen was born in Freehold, New Jersey.
In 1960, singer/guitarist Joan Jett.
In 1972, Oasis' Lam Gallagher.
BACK TO CONTENTS
Deaths
In 1972, Rory Storme, the leader of one of Liverpool's earlier beat groups, took his own life in an apparent suicide
pact with his mother. Rory Storme and the Hurricanes are best remembered as the group Ringo Starr departed in 1962 to play
drums for the Beatles.
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 1979, Jimmy McCulloch, guitarist with Thunderclap Newman, Stone the Crows and Paul McCartney's Wings, was found
dead in London of undetermined causes. He was 26.
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 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.
BACK TO CONTENTS
NEWSLETTER SUGGESTIONS
If there's a segment or something you think bmusic should include in it's weekly newsletter just let us know.
Drop us a line at feedback@bmusic.com.au After all, the newsletter is for you. If you have a story or an
article you'd like to have considered for inclusion just e-mail it to
feedback@bmusic.com.au
BACK TO CONTENTS
DON’T
WANT THE bmusic NEWSLETTER?
If you’re sick of our boring newsletter, or you have
wrongfully been placed on the Subscription list for bmusic, simply reply to
this e-mail and replace the subject line with UNSUBSCRIBE and we won’t hassle
you anymore.
BACK TO CONTENTS
PRIVACY
You can rest assured that your e-mail address and any
other details bmusic has about you will never be forwarded to parties outside
the bmusic organization. We are as sick as you are of getting unauthorized,
crap e-mails from some mail list. Credit card numbers are not stored by bmusic.
BACK TO CONTENTS
SEE YOU ALL NEXT WEEK!
A free
service brought to you by www.bmusic.com.au Copyright 2002 bmusic.
To receive the bmusic weekly e-newsletter simply click Here
and send the e-mail.
If you were referred to the bmusic newsletter by a friend be sure to put their name or e-mail address in the body of the e-mail
so they get the chance to enter the bmusic Subscribers competitions.
If you've missed a newsletter simply visit the bmusic newsletter
Archive.
BACK TO CONTENTS
Copyright © 2002
