Today In Music, March 31st

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Monday 31st March):

Birth

1948. Mick Ralphs (Mott The Hoople) born in Hereford, England.

On Stage

1967. Jimi Hendrix sets fire to a guitar for the first time at Finsbury Park Astoria in London.

In Church

1998. Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily, 20 month old daughter of the late Michael Hutchence is christened at a ceremony at St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Sydney, Australia. The surviving members of INXS attend along with members of the Hutchence family. Outside the church a scuffle breaks out involving security guards hired by a British magazine and photographers. One snapper, Brendan Esposito of the Sydney Daily Telegraph, is pushed 10 feet onto rocks. Paramedics, fearing a broken back, take nearly an hour to stabilise him enough for the transfer to hospital. Luckily, his injuries are not serious and he’s discharged after treatment.

In Hospital

1969. Barry Ryan is taken to hospital in Munich, West Germany suffering from burns to his hand and face after a telephone he is holding explodes. He was to have been photographed speaking into a burning telephone to advertise a mass phone-in interview in the evening but too much volatile liquid was used. As a result, the phone exploded on being ignited. Doctors say it will be three months before his face is completely healed.

On Television

1995. Pop Will Eat Itself get carried away during a performance of “Ich Bin Ein Auslander” on Irish TV’s “The Late Show” and cause £ 1,000 worth of damage to the studio and equipment. They claim it is the result of an afternoon of tension between the band and the show’s production staff. At one point they are asked to leave the hospitality suite for making too much noise. Drag-comedy artiste, Lily Savage threatens to punch one band member if he doesn’t shut up. A spokesman for the band later apologises to RTE.

Death

1986. O’Kelly Isley, oldest of The Isley Brothers dies of a heart attack at his home in Alpine, New Jersey.

Music Paper From Today

 

 

New Musical Express from 31st March 1973. A copy taken from Rockmine’s almost complete run of U.K. music papers from the last 45 years. 

 

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© Copyright 1995 – 2008 Rockmine Archives. Use of this content is prohibited unless licensed by Rockmine Archives.

Today In Music, March 30th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Sunday 30th March):

Birth

1945. Eric Clapton born Eric Patrick Clapp in Ripley, Surrey.

On Stage

1994. Rick Parfitt is backstage at London’s Royal Albert Hall waiting to be presented to Prince Charles and his sons when he’s tapped on the shoulder. He turns to be asked, “Who’s been a naughty boy, then?” as a private detective hands him a writ naming him as the third party in a divorce case. Strangely the culprit is actually a Rick Parfitt look-alike who’s spent the last three years fooling hotels, restaurants and a string of ladies.

In Custody

1978. Paul Simonon and Topper Headon of The Clash are arrested outside their London studio after they are spotted firing guns by a passing police helicopter. They were passing time by shooting pigeons with air guns.

On Television

1979. The Midnight Special (NBC, U.S.A.) 277. Host: Linda Clifford. Guests: Arpeggio, Eddie Rabbitt, Peaches & Herb, The Village People, Billy Wray

Gone Shopping

1994. Kurt Cobain gets his best friend, Dylan Carlson to buy a shotgun for him saying he’s scared of intruders at the house. Police have already removed all guns from Kurt’s home. This is the shotgun Kurt will later use to kill himself. The shotgun receipt and the Police report on the purchase. Here’s the receipt:

Music Paper From Today

Sounds from 30th March 1991. A copy taken from Rockmine’s almost complete run of U.K. music papers from the last 45 years.

Daily Babble

I know it’s far from daily but I’m amazed I’m getting this to you at all. Here’s the view out my window just now:

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© Copyright 1995 – 2008 Rockmine Archives. Use of this content is prohibited unless licensed by Rockmine Archives.

Today In Music, March 29th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Saturday 29th March):

Birth

1943. Vangelis born Vangelis Evangelos Papathanasiou in Valos, Greece.

In The Cinema

2002. Britney Spears‘ first film, ‘Crossroads’ opens in cinemas across the U.K.

In Court

1968. Beat group, The Paper Chase appears at Cupar Burgh Court in Fife, Scotland, charged with the theft of two crates of lemonade worth £ 1. 14s. Despite claiming it was a publicity stunt, all four members are fined £ 1. The theft occured after the band had played a dance at the town’s Corn Exchange on March 2nd. The two crates had been left outside the hall by the event’s organisers and when they returned both the crates and the group’s van had disappeared. The police were informed and the group was arrested at a road block set up in Dollar en-route for the group’s home town of Bridge Of Allan.

In Business

1968. Pye Records announce that they’ve offered the dustman who woke Prince Charles up with his singing when he emptied the dustbins at Trinity College, Cambridge, a recording contract. The binman, Frank Clarke, who was ordered to empty the bins at 9 a.m. instead of 7.30 a.m. to avoid waking the heir to the British throne, said he still has to decide whether to take the contract or not.

On Television

 

 

1969. Beat Club (WDR, West Germany) 41: Simon Dupree and the Big Sound, The Searchers, Sly & the Family Stone, Julie Driscoll & Brian Auger Trinity, The Rascals, Marv Johnson, Melanie, The Hollies, Peter Sarstedt, Creedance Clearwater Revival, The Beach Boys, The Foundations. Here’s Peter Sarstedt with “Where Do You Go To My Lovely”.

Death

1996. Drummer Howard Wyeth dies in New York’s St. Vincent Hospital after a heart attack. Best remembered for his work with Bob Dylan‘s Rolling Thunder Review, Wyeth had spent recent years playing the New York clubs with his Howie Wyeth Ragtime Band.

Music Paper From Today

 

 

Sounds from 29th March 1975. A copy taken from Rockmine’s almost complete run of U.K. music papers from the last 45 years. 

 

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© Copyright 1995 – 2008 Rockmine Archives. Use of this content is prohibited unless licensed by Rockmine Archives. 

Today In Music, March 28th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Friday 28th March):

Birth

1964. Radio Caroline, the UK’s first offshore pirate radio station goes on air.

On Tour

1977. NBC need some live footage of The Sex Pistols for a documentary they’re shooting. Trouble is, Malcolm McLaren‘s finding it difficult to get a venue that will let them play. With only hours to spare, he’s saved by the Roman Catholic Church who allow the use of Notre Dame Hall in London’s Leicester Square. Only 150 fans are allowed in to see Sid Vicious make his live debut with the band.

In Court

1991. Donnie Wahlberg (New Kids On The Block) appears in court in Louisville, Kentucky, charged with Arson. After a brief hearing, at which he pleads not guilty, he’s released on $ 30,000 bail. A trial date will be set for later in the year. The 21 year old singer gave himself up to the authorities after he discovered a warrant had been issued for his arrest. It’s claimed that he poured vodka over the hall carpet on the ninth floor of the Seelbach Hotel, in Louisville, after a row with a teenage groupie. He told reporters, “There was no vodka, there were no matches. I didn’t even run two sticks together”.

In Hospital

1986. Shane MacGowan (The Pogues) is hit by a taxi while getting into a car in London’s Westbourne Grove. He is thrown into the air and left unconscious on the pavement. At hospital he’s found to have a broken arm, facial cuts that required stitches and damaged ligaments in one leg. He is operated on that weekend and has his arm and leg plastered for ten weeks. Tours of Germany and France are cancelled.

On Television

 

 

1981. Rockpalast (WDR, Westr Germany) – The Grateful Dead (Grugahalle Essen). Here they are with Ship Of Fools.

Death

1974. Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup dies, aged 69, in poverty at North Hampton Accomac Memorial Hospital in Nassawadox, Virginia.

Music Paper From Today

 

 

Record Mirror from 28th March 1981. A copy taken from Rockmine’s almost complete run of U.K. music papers from the last 45 years. 

 

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© Copyright 1995 – 2008 Rockmine Archives. Use of this content is prohibited unless licensed by Rockmine Archives.

Today In Music, March 27th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Thursday 27th March):

Birth

1957. Billy MacKenzie (The Associates) born in Dundee, Scotland.

On Tour

1991. Donny Wahlberg (New Kids On The Block) is arrested and charged with first degree arson following a fire at the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. Donny is alleged to have poured a bottle of vodka over a carpet and set light to it. He’s released on $ 5,000 bail this evening, just in time to make tonight’s gig.

In Court

1998. Ian Brown is remanded on bail at Manchester Magistrate’s Court after pleading not guilty to threatening a British Airways pilot during a flight from Paris to Manchester on February 13th. He was arrested by police on landing and charged with public order offences related to verbal threats of violence. A pre-trial review has been scheduled for April 19th.

In Church

1979. Eric Clapton marries Patti Harrison (nee Boyd) at a tiny Mexican wedding chapel, belonging to the Apostolic Assembly Of Faith In Christ Jesus, ten miles west of Tucson, Arizona. Producer Bob Fraboni is best man. The chapel was picked at random out of the phone book. Its organist, Edward Lopez, said Clapton wanted “nothing special, just the traditional stuff”. The guitarist, who opens his U.S. tour in Tucson tomorrow, was dressed in white tuxedo and white cowboy boots. The bride wore a cream coloured gown with a fishnet veil.

On Television

 

 

1965. The Hollywood Palace (ABC, U.S.A.) 50. Host: Tony Randall. Musical guests include: Diana Ross and the Supremes – “Stop! In The Name Of Love”

Death

1993. Jazz saxophonist Clifford Jordan dies on cancer in New York, aged 61.

Music Paper From Today

 

 

New Musical Express from 27th March 1976. A copy taken from Rockmine’s almost complete run of U.K. music papers from the last 45 years. 

 

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© Copyright 1995 – 2008 Rockmine Archives. Use of this content is prohibited unless licensed by Rockmine Archives.

Today In Music, March 26th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Wednesday 26th March):

Birth

1953. William Lyall (Pilot) born in Edinburgh, Scotland.

On Stage

1968. It’s announced that Juan Manuel Serrat, Spain’s entry in The Eurovision Song Contest has been replaced by a 22 year old Madrid girl called Massiel after he refused to sing in Spain’s official language, Castilian.

In Court

1991. An inquest opens into the death of Eric Clapton‘s son Conor in Guildford, Surrey. Clapton was not present at the hearing which heard the results of post mortems carried out in New York and the U.K. As is usual, the inquest was adjourned until a later date for further reports. Despite the adjournment, the coroner gives clearance for Conor’s body to be buried on March 28th.

On Television

 

 

2005. Parkinson (ITV, U.K.) featuring a performance from John Legend.

On Television (2)

1993. Outrage, the gay non-violent direct-action group, invade BBC Broadcasting House in London to protest at Shabba Ranks appearance on Top Of The Pops after the rapper’s recent homophobic comments.

Death

1968. Little Willie John, the R&B star of the ‘fifties dies in Walla Walla Prison, Washington, seven years into a sentence for killing a man in a street fight.

Music Paper From Today

 

 

Record Mirror from 26th March 1983. A copy taken from Rockmine’s almost complete run of U.K. music papers from the last 45 years. 

 

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© Copyright 1995 – 2008 Rockmine Archives. Use of this content is prohibited unless licensed by Rockmine Archives.

Today In Music, March 25th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (25th March):

Birth

1949. Nick Lowe born in Woodbridge, Suffolk.

On Tour

1980. Gary Numan forms his own company to assist with his U.S. tours – Numan (U.S.) Tours Limited. The company trading under that name is initially called Dubford Limited but changes its name to Numan (U.S.) Tours Limited on 31st December 1980. Companies House shows the nature of business as “travel agencies etc; tourist”.

In Court

1964. The Los Angeles Herald Examiner breaks the news that Beach Boy, Mike Love is involved in a paternity suit. Shannon Harris, a 22 year old secretary has raised the action claiming Love fathered her three month old daughter Shawn. The case turns sour with Love’s lawyers alleging that Harris had several sexual partners. They also claim the relationship between their client and Harris stopped before the child was conceived. Love later settles the case making a token maintenance payment yearly and allowing Shawn use of his surname upon reaching 16.

In Trouble

1995. Tim Finn (Crowded House) and Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) have to be rescued by lifeguards at Karekare in New Zealand. The two had been amongst a group swimming in a patrolled area when they were caught by freak ten foot high waves and carried out of the safe zone. Lifeguards pick them up in a boat but are disappointed when all they get is a “thank you” – a donation to their voluntary organisation would have been much appreciated.

On Television

 

 

2005. The Ellen DeGeneres Show (Syndicated, U.S.A.) 301. Guests include Reba McEntire and Sum 41 who perform “Pieces” from their new CD “Chuck”.

Death

1976. Duster Bennett dies, aged 29, when his car collides with a lorry. One of the foremost British blues figures, Bennett was returning from Stoke, where he’d been plaing with Memphis Slim and was only two miles from home in tamworth when the collision occured. He had been one of Mike Vernon‘s first signings to the seminal Blue Horizon label. Although he hadn’t realeased anything for five years, Duster was about to record a comeback album. He leaves a wife and three children.

Music Paper From Today

 

 

Kerrang! from 25th March 1995. A copy taken from Rockmine’s almost complete run of U.K. music papers from the last 45 years. 

 

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© Copyright 1995 – 2008 Rockmine Archives. Use of this content is prohibited unless licensed by Rockmine Archives.

Today In Music, March 24th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Monday 24th March):

Birth

On Tour

1989. Elton John collapses onstage in front of 16,000 fans at Paris’ Bercy Stadium. A doctor is called and after a few minutes break, Elton continues the gig. The cause is later announced as a sudden drop of blood pressure in the oppressive heat.

In Custody

1998. Curve‘s new drummer Steven Spring is arrested on arrival at Newark Airport, New Jersey for disorderly conduct. He is reported to have become aggressive and offensive after drinking heavily on the flight from London and was eventually restrained with plastic handcuffs. He will be held by police until the afternoon of the 26th when he will be charged. Meanwhile, the band have had to recruit Steve Monty as a stand-in for the first date of their U.S. tour.

In Court

1973. Judge Ira Fieldsteel rules that John Lennon has 60 days to leave the U.S.A. or face deportation. Lennon appeals.

On Television

 

 

1996. Taratata (France 4, France) No. 119. Recorded: 23 février 1996. Solos: Bon Jovi; The Roadrunners; Willy De Ville. Duos: Bon Jovi & Willy De Ville; Bon Jovi & Bob Geldoff.

Death

1995. Andre Andre, Maurice Truffaut (both I Dream Of Wires), Brian Hurley and Brock Vond (both Monophone) are killed in a coach crash on their way to a New Romantic festival in Albania. Three members of the group Bret are airlifted to hospital in Palermo where they are described as “critical”.

Music Paper From Today

 

 

No. 1 from 24th March 1984. A copy taken from Rockmine’s almost complete run of U.K. music papers from the last 45 years. 

 

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© Copyright 1995 – 2008 Rockmine Archives. Use of this content is prohibited unless licensed by Rockmine Archives.

Today In Music, March 23rd

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (23rd March):

Birth

1966. Marti Pellow (Wet Wet Wet) born Mark McLoughlin in Clydebank, Scotland.

On Tour

1997. Marilyn Manson collapses onstage during a concert in Honolulu. Goldenvoice, the promoters issued the following statement, “The lead singer (Manson) obtained some type of injury while performing but we cannot specify if it was an accident or self inflicted”.

 

Some reports claim Manson was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery on a gashed artery while MTV go completely over the top and speculate that it was an onstage suicide attempt.

In Court

1998. At Leicester Magistrates Court, Mark Morrison is banned from driving for six months after being arrested while driving as an unsupervised learner. He is also fined £ 1,380 and ordered to pay £ 70 court costs.

 

Police had stopped the singer twice last year and booked him for driving without a licence or insurance. It wasn’t his first court appearance for this either. He’s already banned from driving and owes £ 350 in upaid fines for other motoring offences.

In Hospital

2001. Mike Saez, front man with Incantation is rushed to the emergency room after being stabbed while trying to break up a fight at New York’s Voodoo Lounge. Damage to his bicep and tendon means that the band will stop their “World Of Darkness” tour of the U.S.

It won’t be Saez’s only trip to the E.R. this month. He’ll be back in on March 27th with an inflamed pancreas and will need to be admitted for a three day stay in hospital.

On Television

1999. Later… With Jools Holland (BBC-2, U.K.) First show of series 13. Blur – “Tender”, “No Distance Left To Run”, “Bugman”; Wilco – “Can’t Stand It”, “I’m Always In Love”; Natacha Atlas – “Mahlabeya”, “One Brief Moment”; Van Morrison – “Back On Top”, “When The Leaves”, “Gloria”; Candi Statton – “Take My Hand Precious Lord”. Here’s Blur.

Death

1995. Alan Barton, lead singer with Smokie, dies in a hospital in Colgne, Germany after suffering severe head injuries. He had been in a coma since the band’s tour bus overturned in an horrific crash.

Barton had been been lead singer with Smokie since 1986 when he replaced Chris Norman. Before that, he was best known as one half of the duo, Black Lace, whose anthemic party song “Agadoo” stayed 30 weeks on the U.K. singles chart and gave pop music a bad name.

Music Paper From Today

 

New Musical Express from 23rd March 1974, back in the days when papers could put the now disgraced Gary Glitter on their front pages. A copy taken from Rockmine’s almost complete run of U.K. music papers from the last 45 years. 

 

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© Copyright 1995 – 2008 Rockmine Archives. Use of this content is prohibited unless licensed by Rockmine Archives.

Today In Music, March 22nd

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Saturday 22nd March):

Birth

1947. Harry Vanda (Easybeats) born Harold Wandan in The Hague, Holland.

On Tour

1997. Marilyn Manson‘s show at Honolulu’s Nimitz Concert Hall is cut short when the singer (real name Brian Warner) falls onstage, cutting an artery in his hand.

In Custody

1971. Every member of the Allman Brothers Band, their tour manager and an equipment truck driver are arrested at a truck stop in Jackson, Alabama. They’re charged with possession of marijuana, heroin and PCP and spend the night in the local jail before posting bail the next morning. Despite the seriousness of the charges, a plea bargain is eventually agreed that sees charges against two of the men dropped and everyone else pleeding guilty to disturbing the peace. A total of $ 4,350 in fines and costs is paid.

In Hospital

1956. Carl Perkins is involved in a car crash on his way from a recording session in Memphis to a TV appearance on the Ed Sullivan show to promote “Blue Suede Shoes”. His brother, Jay is killed in the crash but although Carl receives only minor injuries he never seems to recover his momentum and his career which was at its peak, with “Blue Suede Shoes”, slumps.

On Television

 

 

2006. The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, U.S.A.) 262. Guests include: David Gray. I know it’s two days in a row for clips from this show – but who cares?

Death

1994. Dan Hartman dies of AIDS aged 42.

Music Paper From Today

 

 

Music Week from 22nd March 2003. A copy taken from Rockmine’s almost complete run of U.K. music papers from the last 45 years. 

 

Daily Babble.

 

Not so much babble as a moan today. Back in 1996, Rockmine’s website moved from being after the forward slash on my ISP’s domain to having its own address: http://www.rockmine.music.co.uk. It was a sub-domain of music.co.uk which had been set up for all U.K. music related sites. Back in those days even Virgin was there with http://www.virgin.music.co.uk.

 

Anyway, although I registered the .com, .net, .org and .tv domains for rockmine, I assumed the other would always be there. My contacts page even listed my email as admin@rockmine.music.co.uk. Last month I got a phone call telling me that email didn’t work and then I started to look into it. It seems that about 18 months ago that site just disappeared. A quick look on Google showed that more than 2,000 sites around the world still point to the old address and there’s probably a lot more.

 

I contacted the current owners of music.co.uk and asked if they could at least reactivate the old sub-domain and point to my site. If anything, they seemed somewhat affronted that I should be pointing to them but were kind enough to offer a link exchange.

 

My concern is that if it’s illegal to steal someone’s domain, should there not be some safeguard for someone legally residing on a sub-domain? It’s rather like the idea that when someone buys a block of flats they have to ensure the tenants tenure. With that in mind, I’ve contacted Nominet the U.K.’s domain registrar’s and am also mailing WIPO to seek their advice. 

 

Having held the sub-domain for 12 years now and it being widely listed throughout the web and in scores of books and magazines, it will be interesting to see if I can dispute the rights of someone who has come along recently and bought the domain it sits on. I will keep you posted!

 

If nothing else, I think I should talk to my friends at News Corp., after all they say there’s no such thing as bad publicity.

 

On a more archival level, my TV listing task continues apace. I’ve been going back through my index cards and wondering why I keep video tape at all. One listing was for David Bowie on Nationwide, BBC-1 5th June 1973. I’ve got it on an old Betamax tape which I should probably digitize but a quick look on YouTube uncovered it – and probably in higher quality.

 

Among the shows I’ve been listing in the last few days are “The Golden Shot”, “Marty Feldman’s Comedy Machine”, “Lift Off” and “Morecambe And Wise Show”. It’s odd that both European and American variety shows were more adventurous in their choice of guests. It wasn’t that unusual to see outrageous bands on U.S. shows but not in the U.K. where main-stream light-weight pop was the order of the day. Ho-hum. 

 

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