What Happened Today In Music
May 12th
1958 - The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers started a four-week run at No.1 in the US with 'All I Have To Do Is Dream'. Written by the husband and wife songwriting team Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, the track was recorded in just two takes.
1961 - The Beatles
The Beatles in Hamburg, West Germany, signed a recording contract with producer Bert Kaempfert. That evening they played at The Top Ten Club, Reeperbahn, Hamburg.
1963 - Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan walked out of rehearsals for the US TV Ed Sullivan show after being told he couldn't perform his song 'Talking John Birch Paranoid Blues' due to it mocking the US military and segregation. CBS officials asked Dylan to substitute it for another song, but the singer reportedly said: 'No, this is what I want to do. If I can't play my song, I'd rather not appear on the show'.
1965 - Keith Richards
The Rolling Stones recorded ’(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ at RCA Hollywood studios. Keith Richards had come up with the guitar riff in the middle of the night a week earlier. It gave the band their first number 1 single in the US.
1965 - Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett recored the soul classic 'In the Midnight Hour' with studio musicians Steve Cropper and Al Jackson of the Stax Records house band, including bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn. The song was composed by Pickett and Steve Cropper at the historic Lorraine Motel in Memphis where Martin Luther King, Jr. would later be assassinated in April 1968.
1967 - Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd appeared at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, giving a special concert Games For May - Space Age Relaxation For The Climate Of Spring. This was reportedly the first show to include loudspeakers placed at the back of the hall to give a 'sound in the round', ie quadraphonic, effect. The sound system, developed by EMI technicians, was stolen after the show and not recovered for some years.
1967 - Jimi Hendrix
Are You Experienced by the Jimi Hendrix Experience was released in the UK. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest debuts in the history of rock music. The album features Jimi Hendrix's innovative approach to songwriting and electric guitar playing which soon established a new direction in psychedelic and hard rock music. The album spent 33 weeks on the UK charts and 106 weeks on the US Billboard Top LPs chart.
1968 - The Rolling Stones
Brian Jones made his final live appearance with The Rolling Stones when they appeared at the New Musical Express Poll Winners Concert at the Empire Pool, Wembley, England. Jones drowned while under the influence of drugs and alcohol after taking a midnight swim in his pool, on 3rd July 1969 aged 27.
1971 - Mick Jagger
Rolling Stone Mick Jagger married Bianca Macias at St Tropez Town Hall. The guest list included the other members of the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton and Stephen Stills. The couple separated in 1977.
1972 - The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones released Exile On Main Street, the second album on their own label. The double set featured two hit singles, 'Tumbling Dice' and 'Happy'. In 2003, the album was ranked No. 7 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, the highest of any Stones album on the list.
1973 - Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin started a three-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with their fifth album Houses Of The Holy. The group's third US No.1 album went on to spend 39 weeks on the US chart. Houses Of The Holy has now been certified 11 times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for US sales in excess of 11 million copies.
1975 - Jefferson Starship
Jefferson Starship gave a free concert in New York's Central Park in front of 60,000 fans. The band and concert sponsor, WNEW-FM, were forced to pay $14,000 for cleaning up and damage done to the park after the event.
1977 - Sex Pistols
After being dropped by both EMI and A&M records in less than 6 months, Virgin records announced they had signed the Sex Pistols.
1977 - Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin received the outstanding contribution to British music at the second Ivor Novello Awards held at the Grosvenor Hotel, London.
1981 - Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf filed for bankruptcy with debts of over $1 million. The singer stated; "I made almost nothing. That’s how it was back then. The record company said Bat Out Of Hell never made a profit."
1984 - Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Hello' his second US solo No.1, also a No.1 in the UK.
1986 - Joe Strummer
Joe Strummer of The Clash was banned from driving after being convicted of drink driving.
1990 - Adamski
Adamski started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Killer'. The single featured Seal who remade the song under his own name, reaching the Top 10, the following year.
1996 - Smashing Pumpkins
17-year-old Bernadette O'Brien died the day after being injured 'body surfing' at a Smashing Pumpkins gig at The Point, Dublin.
2000 - The Beatles
Thieves stole the gates to Strawberry Fields the Merseyside landmark immortalised by The Beatles song. The 10' high iron gates were later found at local scrap metal dealers in Liverpool.
2001 - Perry Como
American singer and TV presenter Perry Como died aged 88. He scored fourteen US No.1 singles, from 150 US chart hits and over 25 UK chart hits, including the single 'Magic Moments' and 'Catch A Falling Star.' Como was once the highest-paid performer in the history of television.
2001 - Travis
Travis played a gig at singer's Fran Healy's local primary school at Weston Park, Crouch End, London. The 150 crowd paid a £1 entry fee to the summer fete.
2004 - Bee Gees
Barry and Robin Gibb from The Bee Gees were both presented with honorary degrees from Manchester University. They also picked up a posthumous award for their brother Barry. The brothers had once lived in Manchester, England.
2008 - Neil Young
Singer-songwriter Neil Young had a spider named after him. US university biologist Jason Bond discovered a new species of trapdoor spider and decided to name it after his favourite musician. Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi was found in Jefferson County, Alabama, in 2007.
2013 - Justin Bieber
Thieves stole more than one million rand (£70,000) in takings after a Justin Bieber concert at Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium. The gang, armed with ropes, hammers and chisels, broke into a strongroom where the takings from the Justin Bieber concert and a gig the previous evening by Bon Jovi.
2017 - Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar was at No.1 on the US album chart with his fourth studio album Damn. It became the Billboard Year-End No.1 album of 2017 and was nominated for Album of the Year and won Best Rap Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. The album also won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, making it the first non-jazz or classical work to earn the accolade.
May 12th
1928 - Burt Bacharach
American composer, songwriter, record producer, pianist, and singer Burt Bacharach. With Hal David he wrote many classic songs including, 'Close To You', '24 Hours From Tulsa', 'Make It Easy On Yourself', 'Magic Moments', 'I Say A Little Prayer'. He won two Oscars for the film score to Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, and for the song 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head'. Bacharach's songs have been recorded by more than 1,000 different artists and as of 2014, he had written 73 US and 52 UK Top 40 hits.
1940 - Norman Whitfield
Norman Whitfield, American songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Berry Gordy's Motown. Collaborated with Barrett Strong on such hits as, 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine', ‘Ain't Too Proud to Beg’, ‘(I Know) I'm Losing You’, ‘Cloud Nine’, ‘War’, ‘Papa Was a Rolling Stone’ and ‘Car Wash’. He died on September 16, 2008.
1942 - Ian Dury
English rock and roll singer-songwriter and actor Ian Dury. His 1977 UK No.5 album New Boots And Panties!! spent 90 weeks on the UK chart and he scored the 1979 UK No.1 single 'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick'. He was also a member of of Kilburn and the High Roads. Dury died on 27th March 2000 aged 57.
1943 - David Walkes
David Walkes, from American 1960s era pop and rock group Gary Lewis and the Playboys who scored the 1965 US No.1 single 'This Diamond Ring' and 11 other US Top 40 hits.
1944 - Billy Swan
American Country singer-songwriter Billy Swan, who had the 1974 US No.1 & 1975 UK No.6 single 'I Can Help'.
1944 - James Purify
James Purify, singer from R&B duo James & Bobby Purify who had the 1976 US No.6 & UK No.12 single 'I'm Your Puppet'.
1945 - Jayotis Washington
Jayotis Washington, singer, The Persuasions, a- cappella group, worked with Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, Don McLean.
1946 - Ian McLagan
English keyboard instrumentalis Ian McLagan, Small Faces who had the 1967 UK No.3 & US No.17 single 'Itchycoo Park', and the 1968 UK No.1 album 'Ogden's Nut Gone Flake'. With The Faces, had the 1971 UK No.6 & US No.17 single 'Stay With Me'. Also worked with The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Joe Cocker, Billy Bragg and Bruce Springsteen. He died on 3rd Dec 2014 died aged 69, due to complications from a stroke.
1948 - Steve Winwood
English musician Steve Winwood, who with the Spencer Davis Group had the 1966 UK No.1 single 'Keep On Running', with Traffic the 1967 UK No.2 single 'Hole In My Shoe', Blind Faith, (with Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Ric Grech), 1969 UK & US No.1 album. Winwood played Hammond organ on the Jimi Hendrix Electric Ladyland album track 'Voodoo Chile'. He also had a successful solo career with hits including 'While You See a Chance', 'Valerie', 'Back in the High Life Again' and during the late 80s two US No.1 hits 'Higher Love' and 'Roll with It'.
1950 - Billy Squier
American rock musician Billy Squier, who had the 1982 hit 'The Stroke', 1984 US No.15 single 'Rock Me Tonight'.
1954 - Barry Borden
Barry Borden, from American Southern rock/hard rock band Molly Hatchet who had the 1980 album 'Beatin' The Odds and their hit song 'Flirtin' with Disaster'.
1956 - Greg Phillinganes
American keyboardist, singer-songwriter, and musical director Greg Phillinganes. He has toured with Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Karen Carpenter, Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks and Toto, and served as musical director for Michael Jackson contributing to every one of Jackson's solo albums.
1959 - Billy Duffy
English guitarist and songwriter, Billy Duffy who with Theatre Of Hate, had the 1982 UK hit single 'Do You Believe In The Westworld'. And as a member of The Cult had the 1987 UK No.11 single 'Lil' Devil'.
1959 - Ray Gillen
American rock singer-songwriter Ray Gillen. He was best known for his work with Badlands, in addition to his stint with Black Sabbath in the mid-1980s and recording most of the vocals on Phenomena's Dream Runner album. Gillen died on 1 December 1993 age 34 from an AIDS related disease in a New York Hospital.
1972 - Mark Morrison
West German-born British hip hop and R&B singer Mark Morrison, who had the 1996 UK No.1 single 'Return Of The Mack' and was a hit in several European countries.
1976 - Matt Mangano
Matt Mangano American musician with the Grammy Award winning country music group, Zac Brown Band. Their 2015 album Jekyll + Hyde which debuted at No.1 on the US chart featured the single 'Heavy Is the Head' with vocals from Chris Cornell.
No comments:
Post a Comment