This Day In Music

[Gravdigr]

This will be a straight copy/paste from This Day In Music. This will not be regular. There will be very little, if any, effort expended. You'll have to settle for the Today In History thread music oriented births and deaths, as the site I use for music history has proven unreliable in its list of notable births and deaths.

Additions/corrections, opinions, and stories are always welcome.

May 25

1965, Blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, Sonny Boy Williamson died in his sleep. Van Morrison, Aerosmith, The Who, The Animals, Yardbirds and Moody Blues all covered his songs. According to the Led Zeppelin biography Hammer of the Gods, touring the UK in the 60's, Sonny Boy set his hotel room on fire while trying to cook a rabbit in a coffee percolator.

1967, Procol Harum's 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' entered the UK chart for the first time, where it went on to become a No.1 hit. 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' became the most played song in the last 75 years in public places in the UK (as of 2009). The first video for the song was shot in the ruins of Witley Court in Worcestershire, England. Directed by Peter Clifton whose insertion of Vietnam War newsreel footage caused it to be banned from airplay on the Top Of The Pops TV show. The band subsequently made another video.

1969, The Who and Led Zeppelin appeared at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland, USA. This was the only time the two group's ever appeared together, with Zeppelin opening the show. On the tickets Led Zeppelin was spelt Lead Zeppelin.

1985, Dire Straits scored their second UK No.1 album with 'Brothers In Arms', also No.1 in the US and 24 other countries. 'Brothers In Arms' was one of the first albums to be directed at the CD market, and was a full digital recording (DDD) at a time when most popular music was recorded on analog equipment. The album won two Grammy Awards at the 28th Grammy Awards, and also won Best British Album at the 1987 Brit Awards, and has gone on to sell over 30 million copies worldwide.

1997, A report showed that Elvis Presley was now the world's bestselling posthumous entertainer with worldwide sales of over one billion, over 480 active fan clubs and an estimated 250,000 UK fans who still buy his records. Ironically he had died owing $3 million.

1997, Bob Dylan was diagnosed as suffering from histoplasmosis pericarditis, a fungal infection of the lung, and was admitted to hospital he stayed until June 2nd. Having just turned 56, Dylan later admitted: 'I really thought I'd be seeing Elvis soon'. Treated by drugs and rest, Bob was back on the road only 10 weeks later, for 22 American and Canadian shows.

2005, The Alameda County Sheriff's Office in California announced that it was officially closing the stabbing case of Meredith Hunter, the 18-year-old American who was killed at the 1969 Rolling Stones Altamont Free Concert. Investigators, concluding a renewed two-year investigation, dismissed the theory that a second Hell's Angel took part in the stabbing.

2007, Sixties pop star Wayne Fontana was remanded in custody after admitting pouring petrol over a bailiff's car and setting fire to it. The judge criticised the former lead singer of the Mindbenders, for arriving at Derby Crown court dressed as the Lady of Justice. He had to hand a sword and scales to guards but still wore a crown, cape and dark glasses, claiming "justice is blind".

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

1969, The Who and Led Zeppelin appeared at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland, USA. This was the only time the two group's ever appeared together, with Zeppelin opening the show. On the tickets Led Zeppelin was spelt Lead Zeppelin.

I've been there. Fairly small place. Grassy hill to sit on. Mostly B list bands play there. I can only imagine how amazing that concert was.

[xoxoxoBruce]

It probably was but reputation doesn't guarantee it. So many things have to click, so many people have to do their job well for a concert to be great. Even the audience plays a big part. I've been to concerts where the bulk of the crowd was there to be seen, especially when the tickets were hard to get/expensive. But when the crowd and band have a good rapport, it's fucking magic.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

snip--

1969, The Who and Led Zeppelin appeared at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland, USA. This was the only time the two group's ever appeared together, with Zeppelin opening the show. On the tickets Led Zeppelin was spelt Lead Zeppelin.

--snip

Originally Posted by glatt

I've been there. Fairly small place. Grassy hill to sit on. Mostly B list bands play there. I can only imagine how amazing that concert was.

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

It probably was but reputation doesn't guarantee it. So many things have to click, so many people have to do their job well for a concert to be great. Even the audience plays a big part. I've been to concerts where the bulk of the crowd was there to be seen, especially when the tickets were hard to get/expensive. But when the crowd and band have a good rapport, it's fucking magic.

I DID NOT SEE THIS SHOW, but, they played another extremely small venue, the Aquatheater at Greenlake, in Seattle. Now, I have been past the ruins of this former venue, and it's nice, it's a pretty area with just a touch of urban decay. To think of attending a concert here, man, that must have been a helluva show.

[Gravdigr]

May 27

1957, Buddy Holly and the Crickets released their first record, 'That'll Be The Day.'



A UK No.1 and US No.3 hit. The song had its genesis in a trip to the movies by Holly, Allison and Sonny Curtis in June 1956. The John Wayne film The Searchers was playing. Wayne's [that's 'Uncle Ethan' to you] frequently-used, world-weary catchphrase, "that'll be the day" was the inspiration behind the song. It was also the first song to be recorded by The Quarrymen, the skiffle group that subsequently became The Beatles.

1963, The album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan



was released by Columbia in the USA. Establishing Bob Dylan as a leader in the singer-songwriter genre and a supposed spokesman for the youth-orientated protest movement, it reached No.22 in the US charts and No.1 in the UK charts. The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan showcased Dylan's songwriting talent for the first time and propelled him to national and international fame.

1964, Eleven boys were suspended from a school in Coventry, England for having



Mick Jagger haircuts. [I didn't know you could be sent from Coventry.]

1977, The Sex Pistols single 'God Save The Queen' was released in the UK. Banned by TV and radio, high street shops and pressing plant workers refused to handle the record. It sold 200,000 copies in one week and peaked at No.2 on the UK charts behind Rod Stewart's 'I Don't Want to Talk About It'. There have been persistent rumours, (never confirmed or denied), that it was actually the biggest-selling single in the UK at the time, and the British Phonographic Industry conspired to keep it off the No.1 slot.

1988, Def Leppard kicked off the third leg of their North American Hysteria world tour at George M. Sullivan Arena, Anchorage, Alaska.

1989, Cliff Richard released his one hundredth single,



'The Best Of Me', which became his 26th Top 3 UK hit.

1994, Hell freezes over when The Eagles play their first show in fourteen years in Burbank, California. The two-and-a-half-hour show ended with two encores, closing with 'Desperado'.

2010, Dozens of AC/DC fans needed treatment after complaining of burning eyes during a concert on the runway of Wels Airport, Wels, Austria. Around 150 fans had to be treated. Doctors found that the fans showed allergic reactions to bark mulch spread at the venue - the runway of Wels Airport, to avoid the soil getting too muddy after hours of massive rainfall.

[Gravdigr]

May 28

1964, The BBC received over 8,000 postal applications for tickets for The Rolling Stones'



forthcoming appearance on the British TV show, Juke Box Jury.

1966, Percy Sledge started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'When A Man Loves A Woman'. A No.4 hit on the UK chart and No.2 when re-issued in 1987. Before the recording session, the song had no title or lyrics. The session proceeded with the expectation that Sledge would produce them for the vocal takes. When it came time to record the vocals, Sledge improvised the lyrics with minimal pre-planning, using the melody as a guide for rhythm and phrasing. The performance was so convincing that others working on the session assumed Sledge had the lyrics written down.

1973, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of The Moon



was on both the UK and US album charts. It remained in the US charts for 741 discontinuous weeks from 1973 to 1988, longer than any other album in history. (After moving to the Billboard Top Pop Catalog Chart, the album notched up a further 759 weeks, and had reached a total of over 1,500 weeks on the combined charts by May 2006).

1976, The Allman Brothers Band temporarily disbanded after Greg Allman testified against Scooter Herring, his personal road manager, who was charged with drug trafficking. Herring was subsequently sentenced to 75 years in prison. An album of previously unreleased live material



was issued later in the year under the title 'Wipe the Windows, Check the Oil, Dollar Gas'.

1983, Actress and singer Irene Cara started a six week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Flashdance...What A Feeling'. Taken from the film 'Flashdance', a No.2 hit in the UK. Cara had also appeared in TV's 'Roots' and 'The Next Generation'.

1983, The four day US Festival '83' took place in California, featuring The Clash, U2, David Bowie, The Pretenders, Van Halen, Stray Cats, Men At Work, Judas Priest, Stevie Nicks, Willie Nelson. INXS, Joe Walsh, Motley Crue and Ozzy Osbourne. Over 750,000 fans attended the festival.

1983, Rapidfire appeared at Gazzarri’s On The Sunset Strip, in Los Angles. Rapidfire featured singer Axl Rose, who was seen for the first time by guitarist Slash, who was in the audience.

1996, Depeche Mode singer Dave Gahan was rushed to Cedars Sinai Hospital, Los Angeles after an apparent drug overdose. The singer was later arrested for possession of cocaine and heroin.

2015, Michael Jackson's former home, Neverland Ranch,



was listed for sale for one hundred million dollars. The 2,700-acre ranch in Santa Ynez Valley, California included a train station, a six-bedroom house, a 50-seat movie theater and two lakes.

[Gravdigr]

Definitely headphone material.

[Gravdigr]

May 29

1961, Ricky Nelson started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Travellin' Man'. Sam Cooke turned the song down, the B-side was the Gene Pitney song 'Hello Mary Lou' which became a double A side UK No.1.

1965, The Beach Boys started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Help Me Rhonda', the group's second US No.1. The recording session was interrupted by the Wilson brothers' drunken father, Murry, who arrived at the studio to criticize the Boys enthusiasm. The recording reel continued to record the confrontation, which still circulates among fans.

1969, Crosby, Stills & Nash released their self-titled debut



on Atlantic Records label. It spawned two Top 40 hits: 'Marrakesh Express' and 'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes'.

1971, The Rolling Stones started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Brown Sugar', from Sticky Fingers. The first single released on Rolling Stones Records, it was the bands sixth US No.1, and a No.2 hit in the UK. The songs lyrics, which are essentially a pastiche of a number of taboo subjects, include: interracial sex, cunnilingus, slave rape, and less distinctly, sadomasochism, lost virginity, and heroin.

1991, After just completing the recording of the 'Nevermind' album, Nirvana played a last-minute show at the Jabberjaw in Los Angeles. In the audience was Iggy Pop, Dave Grohl's girlfriend and L7 bassist Jennifer Finch who brought along her best friend Courtney Love.

1992, Concerned that some pupils were overly identifying with Freddie Mercury, the sacred heart School in Clifton New Jersey decided not to sing the Queen song 'We Are The Champions', at their Graduation Ceremony.

1997, Singer songwriter Jeff Buckley disappeared after talking a swim in the Mississippi River, his body was found on 4th June 1997 after being spotted by a passenger on a tourist riverboat.

2002, A 16ft by 6ft mosaic



designed by John Lennon went on display at The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool. The mosaic had been built into Lennon's swimming pool at his Kenwood home in Surrey where he lived between 1964 and 1968.

2007, A piano used by John Lennon on the night he died was put up for sale for $375,000 (£189,000) on The Moments in Time memorabilia website. The upright grand piano



was part of the Record Plant Recording Studios in New York where the former Beatle recorded his 1971 Imagine album. Lennon was said to be so fond of the instrument that he had it moved to whichever studio he was working in and had used the piano hours before being shot on 8 December 1980.

2009, Phil Spector was jailed for at least 19 years for murdering an actress in 2003. The producer, 69, famed for his Wall of Sound recording technique, was last month found guilty of shooting Lana Clarkson at his California home. Spector had pleaded not guilty to the second-degree murder during the five-month retrial in Los Angeles. His lawyers said he would appeal. Spector was given a sentence of 15 years to life for second-degree murder and an additional four years for personal use of a gun.

[Gravdigr]

May 30

1964, The Beatles went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Love Me Do', the group's fourth US No.1 in five months. The version released in America had Andy White playing drums while Ringo played the tambourine. The British single was a take on which Ringo Starr played the drums.

1968, The Beatles began recording what became known as The White Album.



The double-LP whose official title was simply ‘The Beatles’ became the first Beatles album released with the Apple label. The first track they recorded was ‘Revolution’.

1974, Bernadette Whelan a 14 year-old David Cassidy fan died of heart failure four days after attending a UK concert of his. Over 1,000 other fans had to be given first aid during the singers White City Stadium show.


1980, Carl Radle bass player with Derek and the Dominoes died of kidney failure aged 38. Also worked with Gary Lewis & the Playboys, George Harrison, Joe Cocker, Dave Mason, and Delaney & Bonnie.

1987, David Bowie kicked off his 87-date Glass Spider world tour at the Feyenoord Stadium, Rotterdam, Holland.



The tour's set, described at the time as "the largest touring set ever," was designed to look like a giant spider. It was 60 feet (18.3m) high, 64 feet (19.5m) wide and included giant vacuum tube legs that were lit from the inside with 20,000' (6,096m) of color-changing lights. A single set took 43 trucks to move.

2002, Diana Ross voluntarily entered a Malibu drug and alcohol rehabilitation center called Promises to "clear up some personal issues" before setting out on a summer concert tour.

2007, A leaked copy of the new White Stripes album 'Icky Thump' was played completely on Chicago's radio station Q101-WKQX. Jack White personally called the US radio station from Spain, where he was touring, to voice his displeasure.

2009, Mick Jagger offered to buy an ice cream van but was turned down by its owner - who'd promised his daughter he would drive her to her wedding in it.



Guiseppe Della Camera, had spent ten years restoring the rusting van to perfection after he spotted it on a farm - being used as a chicken shed. The restoration was such a success Sir Mick offered to buy the vehicle when he saw it at a show on Wandsworth Common. Camera said, 'Jagger told me he'd really fallen in love with my van and asked me if I would consider selling it. I was stunned when he offered me £100,000.

2009, Ozzy Osbourne was suing the band's guitarist Tony Iommi over royalty payments. The 60-year-old had accused Iommi of falsely claiming to have sole rights to the band's name which has cost him royalties from merchandise sales. Osbourne was seeking unspecified damages, lost profits and a declaration he is a half-owner of the trademark. Iommi claims Osbourne legally relinquished rights to the band's name in the 1980s. Osbourne said he believed all four original members of the band should share Black Sabbath's name equally.

2013, A new museum dedicated to the life of Johnny Cash staged its official opening. The museum in Nashville, Tennessee, was set up by wife and husband team Shannon and Bill Miller and features the largest and most comprehensive collection of Johnny Cash artifacts and memorabilia in the world.

2014, Aretha Franklin received an honorary degree from Harvard University.



The Soul legend became an honorary doctor of arts at the Harvard ceremony, which came a year after she was forced to cancel a string of concerts due to ill health.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

2009, Mick Jagger offered to buy an ice cream van but was turned down by its owner - who'd promised his daughter he would drive her to her wedding in it.

Yet another example of how insane weddings get. Forgoing that much cash in exchange for a twenty minute drive and photo opportunity. That could have been a serious down payment on a new house for the daughter.

The wedding isn't the important thing, it's the marriage that matters.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by glatt

The wedding isn't the important thing, it's the marriage that matters.

Word.

[Gravdigr]

June 6

1965, The Rolling Stones released the single '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' in the US, which went on to give the band their first No.1. In the UK, (where it was released in August 1966), the song initially played only on pirate radio stations because its lyrics were considered too sexually suggestive.

1966, Roy Orbison's first wife, Claudette, was killed when a truck pulled out of a side road and collided with the motorbike that she and her husband were riding on in Gallatin, Texas, she was 25.

1970, Syd Barrett



played his first gig since leaving Pink Floyd at the Extravaganza 70, at London's Olympia Hall, England, backed by a band that included his old friend Floyd guitarist David Gilmour. Barrett baffled the audience (and his musicians) when he abruptly took off his guitar during the fourth number and walked off stage.

1982, Tom Petty, Crosby Stills & Nash, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks and Jackson Browne all appeared at The Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California to a crowd of 85,000 fans at the six hour Peace Sunday, We Have A Dream antinuclear concert. Dylan was joined onstage with Joan Baez and duetted with her on Blowin’ In The Wind and With God On Our Side. The show was partly broadcast on ABC TV’s Entertainment Tonight program on the same day.

1986, A&R man Dick Rowe died of diabetes. Rowe became famous for not signing The Beatles to Decca records and made the classic quote 'Nobody cares about guitar group's anymore.' He did however sign The Rolling Stones to Decca.

1987, Whitney Houston had her second UK No.1 single with 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)'. It reached No.1 in over a dozen other countries and won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1988.

1987, Michael Jackson announced that he was breaking all ties with the Jehovah's Witnesses. Jackson had been raised as a Jehovah's Witness and would don disguises and go door to door with the Watchtower message in cities where he was performing.

2003, Keyboard player with The Animals Dave Rowberry died aged 62. He replaced Alan Price who left in 1965. The Animals had the 1964 UK & US No.1 single 'House Of The Rising Sun'.

2005, John Bonham was voted at No. 1 in Classic Rock Magazine's '50 Greatest Drummers in Rock' listing Moby Dick as Bonham's defining moment.



During live sets with Zeppelin his drum solo Moby Dick would often last for half an hour and regularly featured the use of his bare hands.

2006, Billy Preston died of kidney failure. The Grammy-winning keyboard player



collaborated with some of the greatest names in the music industry, including The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Nat King Cole, Little Richard, Ray Charles, George Harrison, Elton John, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan.

[Gravdigr]

June 12

1964, The Beatles arrived in Adelaide, Australia and were greeted by an estimated 250,000 fans, (the biggest welcome the band would ever receive), who lined the ten mile route from the airport to the city centre. The group gave their first four shows in Australia at the Centennial Hall, Adelaide over two nights. Temporary member Jimmy Nicol was standing in for Ringo on drums who was recovering from having his tonsils removed.

1965, The Supremes scored their fifth consecutive US No.1 single (they were the first American group to accomplish this feat), when 'Back In My Arms Again', went to the top of the charts.

1967, Bob Dylan's album Greatest Hits peaked at No.10 in the US chart. The cover photograph of the album was taken by Rowland Scherman at Dylan's November 28th, 1965, concert in Washington, D.C., winning the 1967 Grammy award for Best Album Cover, Photography. The original album package also included Milton Glaser's



now-familiar psychedelic poster depicting Dylan.

1970, David Bowie released the single 'Memory of a Free Festival', which featured guitarist Mick Ronson and drummer Mick Woodmansey's studio debut with Bowie's band, bringing together the line-up that would shortly record The Man Who Sold the World. The track also featured Marc Bolan on lead guitar and backing vocals.

2005, Pink Floyd announced they would reunite with former bassist Roger Waters, who left the band in 1985, on July 2 for the Live 8 London concert. This would be the first time the band had played together as a quartet since The Wall tour in 1981.

2006, Prince



received a Webby Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his "visionary" use of the Internet; Prince was the first major artist to release an entire album, 1997's Crystal Ball, exclusively on the internet.

2008, Amy Winehouse



performed an exclusive gig at a Moscow art gallery for Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich and his girlfriend Dasha Zhukova. It was reported that the singer was paid £1m for the gig at the launch of The Garage gallery, which has been set up by Ms Zhukova.

[Gravdigr]

June 14

1961, Patsy Cline was seriously injured in a car accident. During her two month hospital stay, her song "I Fall to Pieces" gave the singer her first Country No.1 and also became a huge country-pop crossover hit.

1974, Ray Stevens was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'The Streak'



a song about the latest British craze of streaking, (running naked in a public place).

1977, Led Zeppelin played the last of six sold out nights at Madison Square Garden, in New York City during their 11th and final North American tour.

1980, Billy Joel started a six-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Glass Houses',



his second US No.1 album. The album features Joel's first song to peak at No.1 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart, 'It's Still Rock and Roll to Me.'

1986, Bob Geldof was named in HRH The Queen's Birthday Honours List, receiving an honorary Knighthood in recognition of his humanitarian activities.

1986, Three fans died during an Ozzy Osbourne gig at Long Beach Arena, California after falling from a balcony.

1987, 30 hired hands moved 800 rented NHS beds onto Saunton Sands in North Devon for Storm Thorgerson to shoot what would be the cover of the forthcoming Pink Floyd album 'A Momentary Lapse Of Reason'.



Rain interrupted the shoot and the team were forced to repeat the exercise two weeks later.

2016, Irish rock guitarist, Henry McCullough



died after never fully recovering from a severe heart attack he had suffered four years earlier. He recorded with Paul McCartney and Wings, featuring on the hit James Bond theme, 'Live and Let Die' and 'My Love', the solo which he made up on the spot in front of a live orchestra. He was also a member of Spooky Tooth and The Grease Band.

[Gravdigr]

July 2

1956, Elvis Presley recorded 'Hound Dog' at RCA Studios, New York. Take 31 being the version they released. This was the first time The Jordanaires worked with Presley. The single sold over 10 million copies globally, became his best-selling song and topped the pop chart for 11 weeks, a record that stood for 36 years.

1962, Jimi Hendrix was honourably discharged from the 101st Airborne Paratroopers,



after breaking his ankle during his 26th and final parachute jump.

1971, Queen appeared at Surrey College, England. This was the group's first gig with the line-up of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon.

1979, Sony introduced the Walkman (no, not Walking Man), the first portable audio cassette player.



Over the next 30 years they sold over 385 million Walkmans in cassette, CD, mini-disc and digital file versions, and were the market leaders until the arrival of Apple's iPod and other new digital devices.

1980, Bob Weir(L) and Mickey Hart (R)



from The Grateful Dead were arrested on suspicion of starting a riot at the San Diego Sports Arena after they tried to interfere in a drugs bust.

1988, Michael Jackson became the first artist to have five number one singles from one album when ‘Dirty Diana’ went to the top of the US charts. The other four chart-toppers from the LP ‘Bad’ were the title track, ‘I Just Can't Stop Loving You’, ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ and ‘Man in the Mirror’.

1991, Axl Rose caused a riot to break out during a Guns N' Roses gig after leaping into the crowd to remove a camera from a fan at the Riverpoint Amphitheatre, Maryland Heights. Over 50 people were injured and 15 fans were arrested.

2001, Liverpool Airport at Speke was renamed John Lennon Airport. Yoko Ono was present to unveil a new logo that included the late Beatle's famous self- portrait and the words, 'Above Us Only Sky' taken from his song 'Imagine'.



1925 – Marvin Rainwater, 1939 – Paul Williams, 1941 – William Guest (1 of the Pips), 1948 – Gene McFadden, 1949 – Roy Bittan(E Street Band), 1951 – Joe Puerta(Ambrosia), 1952 – Johnny Colla (Huey Lewis & The News), 1953 – Mark Hart (Supertramp, Crowded House), 1954 – Pete Briquette (Boomtown Rats), 1983 – Michelle Branch



1591 – Vincenzo Galilei(lute player & father to Galileo Galilei), 2002 – Ray Brown, 2007 – Beverly Sills