Today In Music, January 15th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Thursday, 15th January):

Birth

1949. Ronnie Van Zandt (Lynyrd Skynyrd) born in Jacksonville, Florida.

On Tour

1998. Oasis are donating the proceeds from tonight’s show in Toronto and next week’s show in Vancouver to the Canadian Red Cross Disaster Appeal Fund to help families devastated by the recent ice storm. The band saw the storm’s effects for themselves when they were forced to cancel last night’s gig in Montreal because of extreme weather conditions.

In Custody

1970. The jailing of Welsh language pop singer Dafydd Iwan sparks a wave of protest by members of the Welsh Language Society – 40 people stage a sit-down protest in the foyer of Cardiff Police Station; in Carmarthen 40 students barricade themselves in a hall near the courthouse and in Aberystwyth, 25 people stage a sit-down protest at the Magistrates’ Court. Other protests are not succesful – an attempt to storm the police station in Penarth fails and the protesters are escorted away.

In Court

1964. Vee Jay Records files lawsuits against Capitol Records and Swan Records over the manufacturing and distribution of The Beatles records. At the same time, in Chicago, Capitol Records is granted an injunction restraining Vee Jay from making, advertising or selling any Beatles product.

On Television

1967. The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS, U.S.A.) 902. Rolling Stones, Petula Clark. Here are the Stones with “Let’s Spent The Night Together”. The record received a wide-spread ban on American radio for its controversial lyrics. Both the TV and record companies pleaded with the band to sing “Let’s Spend Some Time Together”. The first chorus sees Mick Jagger just appearing to mumble but his facial expression gives everything away. During the second chorus, the camera catches Bill Wyman raise his eyes at what’s going on around him!

Death

1994. Harry Nilsson dies at his home in Los Angeles from a heart attack, aged 52.

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Today In Music, October 31st

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Friday 31st October):

Birth

1965. Annabel Lwin (Bow Wow Wow) born Myant Myant Aye in Rangoon, Burma.

In Custody

1964. Ray Charles is arrested by U.S. Customs officials when he arrives at Boston Airport from Canada. He’s charged with possession of a quantity of marijuana, heroin and a hypodermic syringe.

In Court

1967. Brian Jones is granted bail after an application to the High Court in London. Mr. Justice Donaldson hears evidence in his private chambers from two psychiatrists. He releases Jones on his own recognisance of £ 250 and two sureties of £ 250 each.

In Hospital

1999. Johnny Cash leaves Nashville’s Baptist Hospital after two weeks treatment for pneumonia. It’s the 67 year old Country legend’s third bout of the illness in the last two years. He suffers from Shy-Drager Syndrome, a Parkinson’s Disease like ailment, which makes him more susceptible to pneumonia.

On Television

1983. Rockpalast (WDR, Germany) Public Image Ltd. (Zeche Bochum). Here they are with “Public Image”

Death

2001. Jazz pianist, Bill Le Sage (William A. Le Sage) dies in London from lung cancer aged 72. He played with a wide variety of people over the years from The John Dankworth Seven to Charlie Watts’s Big Band.

Babble

Back to normal today. Yesterday’s blog was a bit crazy. I know it was there before but the tag cloud I created was insanely big. I was adding tags late into the night and my brain gave up. Took me another half hour this morning to get the rest of them online. Never again!

I’d like to reiterate that I’d welcome comments. Real feedback, telling me what you think of the almanac sample. Not just what, if anything I should add (or remove) but how useful you feel it is, how accessible, whether the layout works and if the format’s ok.

There are obviously media professionals who browse the blog, so I’d appreciate a candid view. If you don’t want your comments published, just say. That goes for everyone. I do want to hear from you but realise you might not want your comments made public for whatever reason. Don’t let that stop you. You can always mail me: info@rockmine.com.

 

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

Today In Music, October 7th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Tuesday, 7th October):

Birth

1943. Dino Valenti (Quicksilver Messenger Service) born in New York.

On Tour

1969. 2,000 East German Rolling Stones fans clash with police near the Berlin Wall. The fans gathered expecting to see The Stones play a concert on top of a building at the western-most section of the Wall but there was no performance. 200 police chase the fans into the centre of the city where they clash with some of the 250,000 members of the Free German Youth organisation who had gathered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the communist state. More than 50 of the fans are detained in custody by police.

In Court

1975. The U.S. Court Of Appeals overturns the Immigration Departments deportation order on John Lennon. This opens the way for him to apply for resident status.

In Hospital

1995. Simon Gilbert (Suede) is knocked unconscious when he and a friend are attacked by 12 queer-bashers after leaving a pub in Stratford-Upon-Avon. Both men are taken to Warwick Hospital where they are treated before being discharged. The un-named friend has six stiches for a head wound and later returns to the hospital suffering from concussion.

On Television

1970. The Johnny Cash Show (ABC, U.S.A.) Johnny with George Lindsey & June Carter, The Statler Brothers, The Carter Family. Here are Johnny and Joni Mitchell dueting on “Girl From The North County”.

Death

1966. Overton Amos Lemons, better known as R+B singer Smiley Lewis, dies of cancer in New Orleans.

Babble

Well, here I am once again in the north. I was told yesterday that the memorabilia exhibition couldn’t go ahead and yet everyone seems to want it to be staged. Just how and when are the two big questions. I’m going to give it until tomorrow and then I’ll have to make the decision to consign it to the fantasy world within the wardrobe and just imagine I’ve staged the show or get it sorted once and for all.

I was offered a date in November but that’s meant to tie in with a book launch that should have been held on June 21st. The book, on growing up in Liverpool in the sixties, was seemingly available back in May so I’m not sure why a launch is being held six months on. My biggest worry is that the launch is meant to be run by Waterstone’s local branch but the company’s web site has no information regarding ANY events in Elgin or Inverness in either October or November. I have found one book that fits the description but it was launched at the Liverpool’s Everyman Theatre back in April. Its author, Nicholas Murray is giving a poetry reading on October 13th in Venice. Maybe it’s just me but I can’t then see what he’d be doing in Elgin. Obviously it may not be him and as there’s nothing on the Elgin venue’s website mentioning anything that fits the bill.

I hope from this you’ll get some sense of my frustration. I know I’m dealing with a theatre but it surely doesn’t need to involve suspending all disbelief. I found a fascinating description of the concept here. The world of Narnia really has been moved to Moray. I just hope that I can find my way back out of the wardrobe. Despite the frustration, I’m going to give it one last shot. If I can’t get an agreement to use the venue we’d agreed on (which I’ve decided not to name because it will just give them free publicity) from Thursday to Saturday or another space to stage it, then I give up. 

Strangely, the link to my Two Red Shoes Ballroom blog from the Northern Scot is proving nowhere near as successful as flyers were in Nairn back in August. 1,400 flyers and a dozen A4 posters pulled in 180 people a day and all this one’s getting is 55! Before I leave here, I think I’ll get flyers into the local library and other places. Then I’ll just forget these eerily unreal place.

 

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Today In Music, August 7th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Thursday 7th August):

Birth

1949. Tim Renwick (Quiver, Mike & The Mechanics) born in Cambridge, England.

On Tour

1984. Death threats have been received by The Knoxville News Sentinel against Michael Jackson who is performing the first of two shows in the city tonight. The threats are taken seriously enough that the F.B.I. are called in. The F.B.I. think the threats are unfounded but organisers step up security all the same. Both tonight’s concert and another on the 9th pass off without incident.

In Court

1998. Bernard Ortiz, a homeless man who has been stalking Linda Ronstadt for three years, is sentenced to ten months in jail. It was his second time in court over the singer. He had previously been given three years probation and ordered not to contact Ronstadt or her family. He violated the probation after only three months, sending his “victim” a watch, candles and a letter on her birthday.

In Hospital

1997. Richard Marsh (Bentley Rhythm Ace) breaks his back during a parachute jump at Langar Airfield, Nottinghamshire. The jump was being filmed for the video of the band’s next single, “Bentley’s Gonna Sort You Out” but Marsh was caught by a gust of wind during landing and thrown heavily onto his back. He was taken to Nottingham General Hospital where doctors said he would make a full recovery but need three months rest.

On Television

1957. American Bandstand (ABC, U.S.A.) 3. Paul Anka; The Tassels. This was Paul Anka’s first network TV appearance in the U.S.A. Aged only 16, he performed his soon to be massive international number 1 hit, “Diana”. While I can’t guarantee this is the correct clip, it is the correct period and I’m a bit short of time today. 2m 13s.

Death

1978. Les Perrin, publicist for The Rolling Stones and others, dies.

Babble

There’s not a huge amount to report since yesterday. I spent another three hours in the Heritage Centre in Elgin digging through microfiche copies of the Northern Scot newspaper. So far I’ve compiled a list from 1966 to 1970 of the bands that played the Ballerina Ballroom in Nairn. 

Here’s a sample from July – December 1967:

July 07 – Cream plus Newton’s Theory with its Go-Go Girls. The gig was cancelled when the van carrying the band’s equipment failed to turn up.

July 10 – Cream return to play their concert.

July 21 – Pink Floyd

July 28 – Gino Washington and The Ram Jam Band plus The Copy Cats

August 18 – The Small Faces – concert cancelled.

August 31 – Zoot Money and his new group Dantalion’s Chariot plus The T-Set

September 08 – The Freddie Mack Show

September 15 – The Throb plus The Life N’ Soul

September 22 – Tony Merrick plus The T-Set

October 06 – The Who plus Gideon’s Few

October 13 – The Beatstalkers plus The Rebel Sound

October 20 – The Four Shades Of Blue plus The T-Set

October 27 – The Tamala Express plus The Beatroute

November 03 – The Rhubarb plus The Barons

November 10 – Clock-work Orange plus Last Chapter

November 17 – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich

December 01 – The Delroy Williams Show plus Keith Taylor

December 08 – The Troggs plus The Throb

December 15 – Symon Dupree

December 22 – Cash Boutique Queen For 1967. Grand Final

December 25 – Aberdeen Students’ Charities’ Campaign present Their Xmas Beatnik Ball with The Circle plus The T-Set

December 29 – The 1967 Last Fling with The Middle Earth plus The T-Set

I have to say it’s been a bit disappointing. While I wasn’t expecting a weekly or monthly catalogue of household names, they’ve so far been few and far between apart from the period above. That said, it paints an incredible picture of the constant touring of small to medium sized bands. The names that have stood out are the likes of Writing On The Wall, My Dear Watson, Spiggy Topes and Archemedes Principle. Now what i’m trying to do is find photos and adverts for some of them.

I went back to the Ballerina and found that John Byrne had more or less completed the area that will serve as exhibition space and festival cafe. I’ll get up some images either later today or tomorrow.

 

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Today In Music, July 24th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Thursday 24th July):

Birth

1935. Songwriter Les Reed (“It’s Not Unusual”, “There’s A Kind Of Hush” and many more) born in Woking, Surrey.

On Tour

1964. Britain’s biggest rock riot takes place during The Rolling Stones concert in Blackpool’s Empress Ballroom. Blackpool is besieged by drunken Glaswegians, in the city for their annual holiday. Unfortunately hundreds of them are amongst the audience of 9,000. Things turn sour when Keith Richards objects to Brian Jones being spat at by youths at the front of the stage. He retaliates with his boot, first standing on someone’s hands and then kicking another in the face. Within moments, the band are running for their lives.

It takes several hours for calm to be restored. By that time more than £ 2,000 worth of Stones’ equipment has been smashed, curtains in the hall are pulled down, seating is destroyed and the ballroom’s chandelier damaged. Two policemen and thirty members of the audience require treatment at Blackpool’s Victoria Hospital.

The band are booked in to spend the night at a hotel in Preston, twenty miles away and hastily arrange a round the clock police guard in case they’ve been followed.

In Custody

1996. Rapper Warren G is arrested at the Los Angeles gay and lesbian nightclub Peanuts following the discovery of a loaded 9mm assault weapon in his trunk. Police are called to a disturbance outside the club and notice the truck which matches the description of one used in an armed robbery last week.

The rapper later holds a press conference to admit that he was arrested at the club but insists he was there on a lesbian only night (?). He is released on $ 10,000 bail and will appear in court on August 16th to face charges of possessing a concealed loaded weapon.

In Church (well, almost)

1999. Following their civil marriage yesterday, Phil Collins, 48, and his new bride Orianne Cevey, 27, have a religious blessing at the Beau Rivage Palace Hotel in Lausanne, Switzerland. After the ceremony, a lavish reception is held in the hotel with guests including Eric Clapton.

During their stay at the hotel, Phil arranged for Jack (his Jack Russell Terrier) to have his own suite at a cost of £ 220 a night. Jack got a double bed, minibar, sunken bath and balcony. If that wasn’t enough, a dog-sitter was booked to take Jack walkies, whenever the need arose. Orianne’s mother didn’t fare so well. While Jack was living it up in a suite, she had to make do with a standard room!

On Television

1968. Kraft Music Hall (NBC, U.S.A.) 84. The Turtles – “Elenore”. 2m 33s.

Death

1972. Bobby Ramirez (drummer with Edgar Winter’s White Trash) dies in a knife fight in a back alley off Rush Street, Chicago aged 23.

 

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Today In Music, July 17th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Thursday 17th July):

Birth

1949. Terry “Geezer” Butler (Black Sabbath) born in Birmingham, England.

On Tour

1998. Convicted murderess Pamela Keary escapes from prison in Minneapolis, telling fellow inmates she’s going to see The Smashing Pumpkins who are playing the city this evening. Police arrest the 17 year old at the gig.

In Court

1966. A Munich court rules that The Rolling Stones do make music and not just noise. The city authorities had hoped that the court would find against the group and they could claim back £ 1,270 tax relief for “musical performances” on the group’s concerts at Circus-Krone-Bau on September 14th last year.

In Politics

1985. Mr Barney Hayhoe, Minister Of State in the British Government, announces that the £ 190,000 in V.A.T., paid on tickets for Live Aid, will be waived. The tickets had not made it clear that the fee was voluntary and therefore would be excluded from the tax.

On Television

1976. Disco (ZDF, West Germany) 60. Silver Convention; Jürgen Drews; Rubettes; Bob Dylan (video clip); Peter Maffay; Martin Mann; Vicky Leandros; Smokie.

Death

1996. Chas Chandler (born Bryan James Chandler), member of The Animals, the man who “discovered” Jimi Hendrix and manager of Slade dies in hospital while undergoing tests for a heart aneurysm, aged 57.

 

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

Today In Music, July 7th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Monday 7th July):

Birth

1940. Ringo Starr born Richard Starkey at 9, Madryn Street, Dingle, Liverpool, England. The house, pictured above, was once sold at a Beatles auction during one of Liverpool’s famous Beatles weekends for £ 15,000. I’m sure at the time I took this photo, which was several years after the sale, it was scheduled for demolition to make way for new affordable housing. Any comments about its current status would be much appreciated.

On The Radio

1954. Sam Phillips gives local Memphis DJ, Dewey Phillips (no relation) an acetate recording of “That’s All Right (Mama)” cut by Elvis Presley at Sun Studios on July 5th. Sam asks Dewey to play it on his “Red, Hot And Blue” show which he does. Within minutes the phone lines are buzzing. Dewey is forced to play the track 14 times and locate its singer (out at a movie at the Suzore Cinema with some friends) for his first ever interview. [Elvis: “Mr. Phillips, I don’t know nothing’ about being interviewed”. Phillips: “Just don’t say nothin’ dirty”].

In Court

2000. Eminem appears in the 44th District Court in Auburn Hills for a preliminary hearing. The rapper faces charges relating to weapons possession which stem from a fight with an Insane Clown Posse employee at a car audio store in Royal Oak, Michigan.

Later in the day in an unconnected incident, emergency services are called to Eminem’s home in Sterling Heights, Michigan, where his wife, Kimberly Mathers, is found to have attempted suicide by slashing her wrists. Kimberley was taken to nearby Mt. Clemens General Hospital for evaluation but released the next day. A press release issued by Sterling Heights Police Department, said that emergency personnel were called to the scene around 11.30 pm. Mathers, who was conscious when they arrived, was treated for her injuries at the scene before being transferred to hospital. Eminem was not at home at the time of the incident.

In Hospital

1967. Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones collapses at the Hilton Hotel in London. He’s taken to the Priory Nursing Home in Roehampton suffering from strain and exhaustion. A spokesman for the group said, “We have been asked to request that the press do not seek to find the whereabouts of Mr. Jones as it may well impede his recovery”. Brian is placed under the care of psychiatrist Dr. Anthony Flood. Dr. Flood will continue to see him on a regular basis even after he leaves the Priory.

On Television

2002. The South Bank Show (ITV, U.K.) 585. Moby. Once again, thanks to the wonders of YouTube, this clip will link to the rest of this show.  

Death

1993. Mia Zapata (The Gits) is found raped and strangled to death in Seattle, aged 27. She had left friends in the city’s Comet Tavern at approx 2 a.m. to walk to a friend’s flat a few streets away. Her body was found on the sidewalk little more than an hour later. Police believe she had been killed elsewhere and then dumped from a car.

 

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