Today In Music, May 29th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Thursday 29th May):

Birth

1949. Francis Rossi (Status Quo) born Francis Dominic Nicholas Michael Rossi in Forest Hill, London.

On Tour

1990. NWA appear at Birmingham’s Hummingbird Club with a strict warning that they’ll be arrested if the show gets out of hand. They drop the use of starting pistols (which its felt will cause panic if they’re fired) and cut the song “Fuck The Police” from the set. The situation’s been stirred up by local councillor Alan Blumenthal who tried to have Public Enemy’s show at the venue earlier in the year cancelled.

In Court

1969. Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull (charged as Marianne Evelyn Dunbar) make a 20 second appearance at Marylebone Magistrate’s Court charged with possession of cannabis following their arrest yesterday. The couple are remanded on bail until June 23.

In Hospital

1965. Bob Dylan is discharged from St. Mary’s Hospital in London and returns to the city’s Savoy Hotel.

On Television

1968. The Mike Douglas Show (Syndicated, U.S.A.) 1183. Guests are The Beach Boys. Here they are with “Never Learn Not To Love”.

Death

1997. Jeff Buckley drowns in the Mississippi river while swimming with a friend off Mud Island in Memphis, Tennessee.

Babble

I’m back up in Elgin today. I still think the idea of a rock memorabilia exhibition in the Two Red Shoes Ballroom is a great one but it seems it’s not to be. I can’t get my head around why the owners of the venue (now called Red Shoes Theatre) are totally upbeat and positive when I come to see them and seem to forget about the exhibition totally when I’ve gone. Very much a case of “out of sight, out of mind”. I realise they’re busy and may have genuine hassles with their insurers but I only get contacted after pestering them. It would have been so much easier if they’d never said they were interested.

I know I’m moaning about this but here’s a place that played host to The Beatles, The Who, Pink Floyd and many more and I’m not getting to play in it. One of the ideas I’d had for the private view was a couple of old style microphones on the stage and a drum kit with The Beatles logo. A couple of tight spotlights, some genuine 1963 live tapes and it could have been the perfect atmosphere. Oh well, such is life. I’m just going to have to get my memorabilia on-line instead.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to ditch the Garage sale using eBay. I just hadn’t had time. It takes so long to get anything listed, it drives me mad. The day before I went off on holiday to Egypt I sold two things but didn’t get them out until after I got back. eBay clearly states that you should allow 14 days but although I was within that time the guy who bought both items gave me two neutral feedbacks. Then I had one guy in Australia who paid UK signed for postage. I mailed him to say that I’d have to send it standard air mail and he gave me a negative feedback. Three items out of seven or eight in the last few months and suddenly I have a 62% satisfaction rating! And to make matters worse they’ve stopped the chance of sellers leaving neutral or negative feedback for buyers.

I am worried that if I start selling on Rockmine it might be seen as a signal that I’m becoming overly commercial. The bottom line is that Rockmine is a commercial archive. the web site has always been advert free and will remain that way. The free access element is as much a way of promoting the business aspect of Rockmine as anything.

So, although there are changes coming, I don’t think it will change the ethos behind the site. It’s been here since 1995 and I want to see it growing and flourishing. To that end, as well as getting a sales section up in the coming weeks, I’ll be adding an “Ask Rockmine” section. Anyone with a question can post it and pay a nominal sum to have it answered – as long as it’s a private individual. If I can’t answer the question, I’ll post it here and on Rockmine and see it other users can answer the question. If I don’t, needless to say, there will be no charge. If the question relates to a commercial project then the charge will be higher.

Okay, enough rant for today. I’ll be back tomorrow with news of a number of page revamps and other updates.

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