Today In Music, August 12th
From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Tuesday 12th August):
Birth
1951. August Darnell (Kid Creole) born Thomas August Darnell Browder in Montreal, Canada.
On Tour
1971. The Edgar Broughton Band who had planned to give a free concert in Brighton today, are escorted by police to the edge of town. The town’s corporation had refused to allow the event to take place but the band and a crowd of 400 turned up, hoping it would go ahead. When they reached the town limit, the group asked police if they could play on the downs but their request was refused. The group and some fans then became abusive. Lorry driver Keith George Landells refused to drive his lorry away. It had been intended as the stage on which the group would play. He was arrested and charged with obstruction. He’ll appear in court tomorrow along with eight others arrested on similar charges.
In Court
1998. Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) is sentenced to three months in a drug treatment programme at the Impact Drug And Alcohol Treatment Center in Port Hueneme after pleading guilty to felony heroin possession. Superior Court Judge Paul Fidler also placed the singer on three years probation during which time he will have random drug tests.
In Hospital
1988. Edinburgh rockers The Cateran have a near fatal crash on their way to London for a gig at the Fulham Greyhound. A tyre blows, flipping their van three times and off the road. Drummer Andy Milne and roadie Alec McLeod are admitted to hospital after being thrown out the back of the van. They are later released having only suffered broken arms. The van and all the band’s gear is a write-off. Guitarist Cameron Fraser is charged by police with carrying too many passengers.
On Television
2002. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC, U.S.A.) Show #2320. David Bowie and Moby. Here they are with “Cactus”. 2m 56s.
Death
1990. Roy Williamson, half of The Corries folk duo and writer of “Flower Of Scotland”, dies at his home in Forres. He had undergone emergency surgery earlier in the year to remove a brain tumour but treatment was unable to hold back the cancer which killed him.
Babble
Yesterday was spent trying to find premises in Nairn to stage the memorabilia exhibition that’s been bumped from “The Ballerina Ballroom Cinema Of Dreams”. It was very much a case of following every lead and tapping the local knowledge of Steve who seems to be general handyman at the ballroom. There’s a wonderful shop literally across from the Ballerina that would be ideal but its though the owner is in hospital and trying to find someone who could make a decision as to whether it could be used was a real problem.
A chance remark about The Beatles playing the ballroom by a local gift shop owner to someone working there led me to him and then on to a pub which shares the same cleaner as the shop. My phone number was passed on but I’m still waiting for “Margaret” (which is the only name I have) to get back to me.
Today, I think I’ll work the phone and see if I can find a local solicitor who may help. I did manage an hour in the local library sifting through the microfiches of The Nairnshire Telegraph which was a mine of information and gig adverts. I came away contented, with a complete listing for 1966 which had eluded me so far.
Whatever happens, I think I’ll be hosting a virtual exhibition/memorabilia sale on Rockmine’s site. As a back up, I got back to the Red Shoes Theatre in Elgin and asked if they were still interested in the idea of exhibiting there. Despite there being a problem with insurance, it seemed there was an obvious solution – I sit in during opening hours. They said “Yes”.
It seems there’s a variety of possibilities and with Nairn’s festival swinging into life on Friday, I don’t have much time to make up my mind. I will, however, keep you posted.
As I mentioned above, The Beatles did play Nairn. It was May 27th, 1960 and they were backing Johnny Gentle. For some of the gigs on this small tour, they were advertised as The Silver Beetles but for Nairn they were only described as Johnny Gentle’s band as you’ll see from the advert above.
This advert has puzzled me for a while. The Regal was at the other end of Nairn from the Balllerina Ballroom. Its site is now a Somerfield supermarket. Somehow, I’ve got it into my head that the Regal may have been the first home to promoter Albert Bonici’s events in Nairn and possibly the original site for the Ballerina but no-one I’ve spoken to can confirm this. I was given the name of a contact at the local planning office who was a musician back then and would be able to confirm the story.
Go to Rockmine’s main site here.
© Copyright 1995 – 2008 Rockmine Archives. Use of this content is prohibited unless licensed by Rockmine Archives.
Rockmine's Archive Log 