bmusic - Newsletter No. 55

In 1968, George and Patti Harrison and John and Cynthia Lennon flew to India for two months of transcendental meditation study with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Ringo and Maureen Starr, Paul McCartney, Jane Asher, Mia Farrow and Donovan joined the fun three days later. Within a fortnight the whole lot had returned to England, blaming the spicy food for their premature departure from India.

In 1968, U.S. city Atlanta, Georgia declared February 16th Aretha Franklin Day.

In 1968, Guitarist Dave Gilmour joined Pink Floyd replacing founder Syd Barrett. Barrett checked into a psychiatric hospital before going into seclusion. He continues to lead a life of seclusion to this day.

In 1969, singer Lulu and Bee Gee Maurice Gibb were wed at St. James' Church, Gerrard's Cross, Buchs, England.

In 1971, Alan David Pasaro, the Hell's Angel who was tried and later acquitted for the stabbing death of Meredith Hunter at the Altamont Speedway in 1969, sued the Rolling Stones, charging an invasion of privacy because the Maysles brothers' film of the event, "Gimme Shelter," showed the stabbing.

In 1972, Pink Floyd began a 4-night stand at London's Rainbow Theater during which they premiered "The Dark Side of the Moon" a full year before it was released as an album.

In 1974, Elton John released "Bennie and the Jets."

In 1974, KISS released their debut self-titled album. The album barely cracked the Hot 100. It would take the band three more attempts to establish itself.

In 1974, Cher filed for separation from Sonny Bono after 10 years of marriage.

In 1975, John Lennon released "Rock n' Roll," his final album before a self-imposed five year exile from the music business.

In 1976, one-time Tower of Power lead singer Rich Stevens was arrested and charged in the murders the previous night of three men in San Jose, California. Police believed the reason was drugs. Stevens and another were found guilty on two counts of murder that November.

In 1977, Warner Bros. released Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours." The album was recorded in Los Angeles when the two couples (John and Christine McVie & Linsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks) were breaking up.

In 1978, ex-Sex Pistol bass player Sid Vicious and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen were arrested by police in their room at New York's Chelsea Hotel and charged with drug possession.

In 1980, Bill Wyman announced he would leave the Rolling Stones in 1983. He was persuaded not to and stayed another nine years, eventually leaving in 1992.

In 1982, Pat Benatar and her guitarist, Neil Geraldo, were married on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

In 1985, Mick Jagger released his first solo album, "She's The Boss" featuring appearances by Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend and Vernon Reid (who went on to become a member of the band Living Color).

In 1988, a 12-year old Hollywood, Florida, Motley Crue fan set his legs on fire while trying to imitate a stunt in the group's "Live Wire" video. The boy suffered burns over ten percent of his body.

In 1990, Ike Turner was sentenced to 4 years in prison on cocaine charges.

In 1992, Vince Neil quit as lead singer of Motley Crue, after 11 years with the group.

In 1992, Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love married.

In 1995, Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee married Pamela Anderson on a beach in Cancun.

In 1996, London police arrested singer Jarvis Cocker of the group Pulp for allegedly attacking three children performing on stage with Michael Jackson at the Brit Awards. Cocker admitted he walked on stage but denied he touched any children.

In 1996, rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg and a bodyguard were found not guilty of first-degree murder. The jury were deadlocked on voluntary manslaughter charges and a mistrial was declared.

In 1997, a New York judge dismissed a US$7 million lawsuit a fan filed against Motley Crue for hearing loss suffered at one of their concerts. The judge said the fan knew the concert would be loud going into it.

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Births In 1933, John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono was born.

In 1935, the late Sonny Bono.

In 1942, singer Gene Pitney.

In 1946, Jerome Geils, guitar player for the J. Geils Band.

In 1947, Dennis DeYoung of Styx.

In 1948, Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi.

In 1949, Jerry Harrison, keyboardist and guitarist with the Talking Heads.

In 1951, Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor.

In 1953, Robbie Bachman, drummer with Bachman Turner Overdrive.

In 1967, the late Kurt Cobain of Nirvana.

In 1972, Green Day singer/guitarist Billie-Joe Armstrong.

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Deaths In 1976, former Supreme Florence Ballard died of coronary thrombosis in Detroit. Despite being an original member of the premiere female vocal trio she lived on welfare her last few years after losing a US$8.7 million suit for back royalties against Motown Records in 1971. Florence Ballard was 32 years old.

In 1980, Bon Scott, born Ronald Belford Scott, lead singer of AC/DC, died in London at the age of 33. The band had been on tour in London when Scott choked on his own vomit after an all-night drinking binge. His death came just months after the band scored its first big American success with the album, "Highway To Hell."

In 1982, Jazz great Thelonious Monk died after a long illness. He was 64 years old.

In 1995, Bob Stinson, a founding member of The Replacements, died in Minneapolis of complications from drug and alcohol abuse.

In 1996, Walter Brownie McGhee died at the age of 80 from stomach cancer. McGhee did "Living With The Blues" and "Baseball Boogie" and worked extensively with Sonny Terry.

In 1998, songwriter Bob Merill suicided. He wrote many hits including "How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?" and Barbra Streisand's "People".

In 2000, Live manager Peter Freedman died of acute bronchial pneumonia complicated by staph infection at the age of 39.

In 2001, Theophilus Beckford, credited as the originator of ska by many, was stabbed during an altercation in Jamaica.

In 2001, John Fahey, known as the Godfather of New Age guitar, died after undergoing open heart surgery. Fahey established the Takoma Records label and had worked with Leo Kottke, Jo Ann Kelly, Skip James and Sonic Youth. He wrote the book, "How Bluegrass Music Destroyed My Life".

In 2002, Daniel Pearl, a journalist for the Wall Street Journal was officially reported as dead after being kidnapped by terrorists in Pakistan. It's believed Pearl's captors murdered him between January 29th and January 31st, 2002.
Pearl played fiddle, bass and keyboards for The Ottoman Empire and Bob Perilla's Big Hillbilly Bluegrass Band.

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