Today In Music, January 24th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Saturday, 24th January):

Birth

1941. Neil Diamond born Noah Kaminsky in Brooklyn, New York.

On Stage

1969. Lonnie Donegan takes over from Judy Garland in the middle of her 5-week season at London’s Talk Of The Town. The Hollywood star is described as “resting” in her suite at the Ritz Hotel with a nurse in attendance. Yesterday, she had walked off stage after cigarette packets were thrown at her following her late arrival.

In Custody

1980. Paul McCartney has his first meeting with the British Consul since being detained by Japanese authorities on January 16th. The meeting with D.W.F. Warren-Knott lasted about 15 minutes. During that time, the 37 year old singer said he had no complaints about the way he was being treated.

In Court

1978. The case involving Rod Stewart‘s tour band continues at Glasgow Sheriff Court. Two road managers with the group, Patrick Logue (27) and Malcolm Culmore (31), charged with possessing cannabis are found not guilty. Unfortunately, the tour secretary, 29 year old Doris Tyler, is found guilty of perverting the course of justice and is fined £ 130. Police giving evidence against her said that officers answering three different telephones heard her say, “It’s Doris. The drug squad are in the hotel. Ditch everything you’ve got”. Mrs. Tyler was unable to attend the court in person as she’s in Hollywood and unable to travel on health grounds.

On Television

1980. Top Of The Pops. (BBC-1, U.K.) Presented by Mike Read. Barbara Dickson; Boomtown Rats; Buggles; Dollar; Joe Jackson; Legs & Co / Bee Gees; Matchbox; Nolans; Pretenders; Regents; Sheila & B.Devotion; The Specials; Suzi Quatro. Here are the Regents with “7-Teen”.

Death

1970. James “Shep” Sheppard, leader of Shep And The Limelites, is found battered to death in his car on the Long Island Expressway.

Babble

For those of you who thought I’d gone AWOL the last few days, I do apologise. My New Year resolution to get the blog up in the wee small hours may seem to have been abandoned but that’s not really the case.

As you may know, I’m planning to publish a concise version of the Rockmine Almanac through Lulu next month. This has meant making sure it was up-to-date and working properly – which it wasn’t. So, come Monday morning, I decided to get things in order, going through each of my databases and rebuilding them line by line. Two hard-drive failures in the last year had seen me lose numerous source files. I’d tried everything from freezing them to dropping them but somehow, last weekend managed to rescue the last of what I thought was too important to lose.

This week, I’ve been totally focused on my TV database which had 13, 052 shows. That figure is now 19,176 and I still have probably another 5,000 shows on text files I need to check and rebuild.  I’ve spent ages sifting through daily TV listings in various libraries and trawling through Rockmine’s vast store of music papers for something approaching a definitive listing of pop and rock on U.K. TV but those files are the most corrupted. As a result, it’s going to take some time to add those.

That said, I’m relatively happy. What I do have, even now, is a wonderful snap-shot of what we were watching across the years. Here’s what the database throws up (so far) for January 24th:

 

1958 American Bandstand. (ABC, U.S.A.) Frankie Lyman and the Teenagers – “Goody-Goody”

1959. The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show. (ABC, U.S.A.) Bill Parsons – “All-American Boy”; Joni James – “There Must Be a Way” & “Sorry for Myself”; The Wild Cats – “Gazachstahagen”

1961. American Bandstand. (ABC, U.S.A.) Johnny Burnette – “Little Boy Sad”

1964. Ready, Steady, Go! (Associated-Redifussion (ITV),U.K.) The Searchers – “Needles & Pins”; The Bachelors; Cloe; Susan Maughan; Tony Sheridan; Phil Spector

1964. The Mike Douglas Show. (Syndicated, U.S.A.) Louis Armstrong co-hosts and performs.

1965. The Ed Sullivan Show. (CBS, U.S.A.) The Animals – “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”

1966. Hullabaloo. (NBC, U.S.A.) Host: Dean Jones. Guests: The Bitter End Singers, Peter Nero, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, Bruce Scott

1966. Where The Action Is. (ABC, U.S.A.) Ben E. King: “Spanish Harlem; Dick and DeeDee: “The Mountain’s High; Paul Revere and the Raiders: “Searchin'”

1967. Where The Action Is. (ABC, U.S.A.) J.J. Jackson: “But It’s Alright” & “I Dig Girls; The Outsiders: “Time Won’t Let Me” & “Help Me Girl”.

1968. The Johnathan Winters Show. (CBS, U.S.A.) Guests include Nancy Sinatra – “Cryin’ Time”. The Young Saints – “Feelin’ Good”, “I Know a Place”.

1970. American Bandstand. (ABC, U.S.A.) Joe South – “Walk A Mile In My Shoes”; Biff Rose 

1971. Omnibus (BBC-1, U.K.) Chicago Blues

1971. The Barbara McNair Show. (Syndicated, U.S.A.) Hagood Hardy performs, “Eli’s Coming” Barbara sings “Softly, as I Leave You.”

1971. The Ed Sullivan Show. (CBS, U.S.A.) Musical guests: B.J. Thomas, Nancy Ames

1973. The Mike Douglas Show. (Syndicated, U.S.A.) Mike’s guests are The Corneilus Brothers.

1974. Top Of The Pops. (BBC, U.K.) Presented by Jimmy Savile. Andy Williams – Solitaire (Repeat); Golden Earring – Radar Love; Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes – The Love I Lost (Disc); Lulu – The Man Who Sold The World; Medicine Head – Slip & Slide; Mud – Tiger Feet; Stevie Wonder – Living For The City (Disc); Suzi Quatro – Devil Gate Drive; The Stylistics – Rockin’ Roll Baby (Disc); The Sweet – Teenage Rampage.

1975. The Midnight Special (NBC, U.S.A.) Hosts: The Marshall Tucker Band. Guests: Charlie Daniels; Charlie Daniels Band; Olivia Newton-John; Poco

1975. The Mike Douglas Show. (Syndicated, U.S.A.) Guests include singer-songwriter Paul Williams – “Family of Man”, “You and Me Against the World”.

1976. Hee-Haw. (Syndicated, U.S.A.) Guests: Cal Smith, The Statler Brothers and LaWanda Lindsey.

1976. Saturday Night Live (NBC, U.S.A.) Neil Sedaka

1976. Soul Train. (Syndicated, U.S.A.) The Jackson Five

1978. Rockpalast. (WDR, West Germany) Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias (WDR Studio-L Köln)

1978. The Mike Douglas Show. (Syndicated, U.S.A.) Paul Anka co-hosts and sings “Nights on Broadway.”

1980. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (NBC, U.S.A.) Sarah Vaughan; Jim Stafford

1980. Top Of The Pops (BBC, U.K.) Presented by Mike Read. Barbara Dickson – Caravan Song; Boomtown Rats – Someones Looking At You; Buggles – The Plastic Age; Dollar – I Want To Hold Your Hand; Joe Jackson – Its Different For Girls (Repeat);  Legs & Co / Bee Gees – Spirits Having Flown; Matchbox – Buzz-Buzz-A-Diddle It; Nolans – Im In The Mood For Dancing; Pretenders – Brass It Pocket (Repeat);  Regents – 7 Teen; Sheila & B.Devotion – Spacer (Promo); The Specials – Too Much Too Young (Promo); Suzi Quatro – Mamas Boy.

1981. Hee-Haw. (Syndicated, U.S.A.) Bruce Jenner; Reba McEntire – “Up In Heaven”; T.G. Sheppard – “I Feel Like Loving You Again”.

1981. Rockpalast. (WDR, West Germany) Michael Schenker Group (Markthalle Hamburg)

1981. Saturday Night Live. (NBC, U.S.A. ) Joe “King” Carrasco & The Crowns; 14 Karat Soul

1981. Soul Train. (Syndicated, U.S.A.) Bar-Kays; Yarbrough & Peoples; Robert Winters

1985. Top Of The Pops. (BBC, U.K.) Presented by Mike Smith, Steve Wright. Ashford & Simpson – Solid (Promo); Chaka Khan – This Is The Night; Foreigner – I Want To Know What Love Is (Promo); James Ingram – Yah Mo B There; King – Love & Pride; Strawberry Switchblade – Since Yesterday.

1987. American Bandstand. (ABC, U.S.A.) The Beastie Boys – “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)!”

1987. Hee-Haw. (Syndicated, U.S.A.) John Schneider (co-host). Guests: Louise Mandrell; The New Grass Revival.

1987. Saturday Night Live. (NBC, U.S.A.) Debbie Harry

1990. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. (NBC, U.S.A.) Hoyt Axton

1991. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. (NBC, U.S.A.) Garth Brooks

1991 Top Of The Pops BBC U.K. Presented by Simon Mayo. 2 In A Room – Wiggle It (Promo); A Tribe Called Quest – I Can Kick It (Promo); Off-Shore – I Cant Take The Power; Queen – Innuendo (Promo); Rick Astley – Cry For Help; Robert Palmer – Mercy Mercy Me-I Want You (Repeat);  The Simpsons – Do The Bartman (Promo); Tongue N Cheek – Forget Me Nots.

1992. The Word. (Channel 4, U.K.) Musical guests:  Boy George, Jah Wobble, Sinead O’Connor, Ride, Jagdeep.

1993. Taratata. (France 4, France) Recorded 21 janvier 1993. Solos: Véronique Sanson; Kezia Jones; Les Négresses Vertes; Jocelyne Beroard. Duos: Véronique Sanson & William Sheller; Véronique Sanson & Dany Brillant

1996. Late Show With David Letterman. (CBS, U.S.A.) Musical guest: Joe Ely

1997. Never Mind The Buzzcocks. (BBC-2, U.K.) Peter Hook, Ace, Clare Grogan, Alan Davies

1997. TFI Friday. (Channel 4, U.K.) Musical guests: Gabrielle, Candyskins, Audioweb

1997. The Rosie O’Donnell Show. (Syndicated, U.S.A.) Guests include Tori Amos.

1997. Top Of The Pops (BBC, U.K.) Presented by Phil Daniels. Byron Stingily – Get Up (Everybody); En Vogue – Don’t Let Go (Love) (Promo); Ginuwine – Pony; Outhere Brothers – Let Me Hear You Say Ole’ Ole’; Reef – Come Back Brighter; Suede – Saturday Night; U2 (Disc);otheque (Promo); White Town – Your Woman (Promo).

1998. Soul Train. (Syndicated, U.S.A.) H-Town; Kimberly Scott; Mic Geronimo

2002. Last Call with Carson Daly. (NBC, U.S.A.) Guests include JaRule.

2002. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. (NBC, U.S.A.) Guests include Chuck Berry; Little Richard 

2003. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. (NBC, U.S.A.) Guests include Sheryl Crow 

2003. Top Of The Pops (BBC, U.K.) Presented by Richard Bacon.  – Year 3000; Daniel Bedingfield – If You’re Not The One; David Sneddon – Stop Living The Lie; Feeder – Just The Way I’m Feeling; Jaimeson ft Angel Blu – TRUE; Libertines – Time For Heroes; Panjabi MC – Mundian To Bach KE; The Everly Brothers – Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots.

2004. Austin City Limits. (PBS, U.S.A.) Keith Urban followed by Rodney Crowell  

2005. The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. (CBS, U.S.A.) Guests include: Population One

2006. Last Call with Carson Daly. (NBC, U.S.A. ) Guests include The Constantines.

2006. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. (NBC, U.S.A. ) Jamie Foxx performs “Unpredictable” from album Unpredictable

2007. Late Show With David Letterman. (CBS, U.S.A.) Rosanne Cash performing “Black Cadillac.”

2007. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. (NBC, U.S.A. ) Branford Marsalis performs “Fate” from his CD Braggtown

2008. Late Show With David Letterman. (CBS, U.S.A.) Super Furry Animals perform “Neo-Consumerism.”

2008. Never Mind The Buzzcocks (BBC-2, U.K. ) Sophie Ellis Bextor, Yannis, Tim Minchin, James Lance

2008. The Ellen DeGeneres Show. (Syndicated, U.S.A.) Guests include Natasha Bedingfield

2008. The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. (CBS, U.S.A.) Guests include:  Ringo Starr

2008. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. (NBC, U.S.A. ) Buckcherry performs from the CD “15”

 

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

Today In Music, January 16th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Friday, 16th January):

Birth

1970. Brendan O’Hare (Teenage Fanclub) born in Belshill, Scotland.

In Custody

1970. Police raid the exhibition of John Lennon‘s lithographs which opened yesterday. They confiscate eight of the lithographs claiming they are erotic and obscene.

In Court

1989. 26 year old pub “bouncer”, Kenneth Simmons, is fined £ 200 and ordered to pay £ 300 compensation at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after an assault on Fish and his friend Robbie The Pict. The trial follows an incident at the Kasbar pub in the city’s Cowgate on August 14th last year. Fish told the court that he was knocked unconscious by a single blow from Simmon’s plaster cast arm, complete with aluminium fingers. When he came to he had been badly cut; there was “a lot of blood”.

In Hospital

1998. James Brown is admitted to hospital in South carolina suffering from the effects of addiction to painkillers. A report in the Augusta Chronicle says the “Godfather Of Soul” was served with court papers ordering his hospitalisation. Brown’s agent, Jeff Allen, declined to comment but confirmed that sheriff’s deputies had taken guns from the singer’s house.

On Television

2004. Late Show With David Letterman (CBS, U.S.A.) Show #2108. Musical guest: Christina Aguilera sings “Walk Away.”

Death

1973. Gospel singer Clara Ward (The Ward Sisters) dies in Los Angeles a week after suffering a stroke and falling into a coma. She was 48.

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

Today In Music, January 14th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Wednesday, 14th January):

Birth

1938. Allen Toussaint born in New Orleans, Louisiana.

On Stage

1963. Charlie Watts takes the drum-stool for the first time with The Rolling Stones at the Flamingo Jazz Club in London’s Wardour Street. He had been approached by Mick Jagger to join the band the week before but hadn’t been sure. Charlie was used to working for money, which the stones didn’t have – but as he didn’t have anything else lined up, he took the job.

In Court

1981. Marianne Faithfull fails to appear at Horseferry Road Magistrates Court in London to answer charges (in her married name of Brierley) of possessing 15 milligrammes of heroin and 900 milligrammes of cannabis at her flat in Danvers Street, Chelsea. Her solicitor told the court she had been admitted to hospital for the removal of a wisdom tooth. The case is continued until February 17th.

In Hospital

1994. Tammy Wynette performs with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra in Arizona despite the fact she had to leave hospital for the performance. She was struck by a life-threatening bile duct infection in the new year and was on a life support machine for four days remaining in a critical condition until recently.

On Television

1987. Late Night With David Letterman (CBS, U.S.A.) Musical guest: Joan Jett

Death

1970. Songwriter Harry Woods (“When The Red Red Robin Comes Bob-Bob-Bobbin’ Along”) dies after a car crash in Phoenix, Arizona aged 73.

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

Today In Music, September 18th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Thursday 18th September):

Birth

1939. Frankie Avalon born Francis Avallone in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

On Tour

2000. Matchbox 20 are playing Gainsville in Florida but the night doesn’t go well. Guitarist Adam Gaynor has his favourite guitar stolen. The customized Taylor acoustic-electric is described as translucent green with brass hardware and a smoothcutaway design. The band is offering an undisclosed reward for the guitar, thought to be worth at least $ 3,300.

In Custody

1981. Jackson Browne and 36 other protestors are arrested whilst trying to blockade a nuclear power plant at Diablo Canyon in California. It’s the fourth day of protests and so far 966 people have been arrested. The Federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission is due to vote on licensing the plant on September 21st. Until the licence is granted, it will be unable to start production. Environmental protestors are claiming that siting the plant so near an earthquake fault line is unsafe.

In Court

1978. Coroner Gavin Thurston records an open verdict at the inquest into the death of Keith Moon.

On Television

1986. Late Night With David Letterman (CBS, U.S.A.) Musical guest: Keith Emerson who joins Paul Shaffer and the “Late Show Band” to perform a rockin’ version of the song, ‘America’

Death

1970. Jimi Hendrix is taken from a flat in Landsdowne Crescent, Notting Hill, where he’s collapsed to St. Mary Abbott’s Hospital in Kensington but is found to be “dead on arrival”. It’s believed that his death is the result of a drug overdose. A hospital spokesman said “the matter had been referred to the coroner”. For an insight into the differing conspiracy theories surrounding Jimi’s death, why not check out an article I did many years ago for the magazine “Idols” here.

 

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

Today In Music, September 11th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Thursday 11th September):

Birth

1958. Mick Talbot (Merton Parkas, The Style Council) born in London, England.

In Court

1997. Toy makers Mattel (home to Barbie and G.I. Joe) file a lawsuit against MCA Records, Universal Music and other related distribution companies in the Superior Court for the County Of Los Angeles. The suit claims trademark infringement and unfair competition and relates to the tune, “Barbie Girl” on the Danish pop group Aqua‘s album, “Aquarium”. They also claim that lines like “You can brush my hair, undress me anywhere” link “sexual and other unsavory themes” with the much loved doll

Mattel is seeking the return of all CDs, tapes and videos containg the track and the destruction of all promotional materials carrying the track title in “the Barbie-pink colors”. They are also seeking unspecified damages and court costs. Strangely, Aqua are not directly named in the suit.

MCA will later countersue but when the case comes to court in 1998, the judge rules that Aqua’s song was merely a parody of a much loved institution and did not seek to benefit from Barbie’s good name.

In Hospital

2002. Marie Fredriksson of the Swedish duo Roxette faints and hits her head against a sink at her home in Stockholm. The singer was taken to Karolinska Hospital where tests found a small tumour in the back of her head.

In The Press

1993. The Sun publishes an exclusive with the shocking headline “Telly Una: I Had Fling With Cliff And My Husband Knew”. The expose was by Una Stubbs, the much loved English actress who was star of “Till Death Us Do Part” in the 1960s and later “Give Us A Clue”.

Una explained that she met Cliff Richard in 1962 when he asked the casting director to include her in the film, “Summer Holiday” after seeing her audition. While the pair became friends instantly, it was two years later that it blossomed into a romance on the Canary Islands while they were filming “Wonderful Life”. Una went on say “Even my closest friends did not know about it”. The romance ended as Cliff was unwilling to ruin Una’s marriage to actor Peter Gilmore.

On Television

1991. Late Night With David Letterman (CBS, U.S.A.) Musical guests: Pere Ubu performing “Oh Catherine”. David goes out of his way before and after the song to point out that the band paid for themselves to appear on the show. (6m 21s)

Death

1987. Peter Tosh is shot dead during a robbery at his house in Kingston, Jamaica. He was 42 years old.

 

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

Today In Music, September 10th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Wednesday 10th September):

Birth

1957. Siobhan Fahey (Bananarama, Shakespeare’s Sister) born.

On Tour

1997. Master P is number one in the U.S. album chart with “Ghetto D”, so it’s no surprise that his show at the Doraville International Ballroom in Atlanta will be popular. Unfortunately 12,000 people manage to squeeze into the club which only holds 5,000. The police get a report of overcrowding and head down for a look. First, they try to evacuate the building. Then they spot some fans trying to get in through a side door and hit them with pepper sprays. Police plan number 2: clear half the fans and run two shows. Master P agrees. The first gig starts. The support act finishes its set and just before the rapper hits the stage, a fight breaks out. A shot is heard and Master P cancels the show instantly. The fans, left with nothing else to do trash the stage and P.A. before heading outside to clash with police. Only five arrests are made but thousands of dollars worth of damage is caused to the venue.

In Court

2002. Sean “P. Diddy” Combs is ordered to pay $ 2.45 million to a limo driver who alleges he was injured by the rapper’s bodyguards during a concert in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1995. Judge William Z. Wood, presiding, ordered the payment after Combs failed to answer the lawsuit brought by driver Cedric Bobby Lemon within 30 days as laid down in state law.

Records of the Civil Superior Court for Forsyth County, North Carolina show that Combs refused to accept a summons from a County deputy when the rap star appeared in concert in Greensboro Coliseum on June 21. In a brief statement to the media a spokesperson for Combs later announced they would be seeking to dismiss the judgment.

In Hospital

1966. French pop star, Johnny Halliday, is taken to hospital after suffering an overdose of sleeping pills. The 23 year old singer was visited later in the day by his estranged wife, singer Sylvie Vartan. She was described as looking stunned by those who saw her leave after a short while

On Television

1993. Late Show With David Letterman (CBS, U.S.A.) David Sanborn becomes the first musician to sit in with The CBS Orchestra. Musical guest: Robert Plant with “29 Palms” plus brief interview. 6m 40s.

Death

2005. Blues guitarist and singer Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown dies of cancer in Vinton, Louisiana, U.S.A.

Babble

The never ending saga continues and I’m heading back up to Elgin with hopes of putting this exhibition to rest or on display this month. As ever, publicity is being left to the last minute but that may be no bad thing. Who can tell how it will go ahead, if it does! It would have been great to try and link in with Bootstock the intimate little rock festival being held just a short distance along the coast this weekend but no-one ever thinks of these things.

The only good thing (if there is one) is it gives me a chance to get all the listings for The Two Red Shoes Ballroom. I should have them by now but lost three whole years when I left the papers in the footwell of the car. they got soaked, either by a leak or rainwater, and when I went to get them the ink had all run. There’s a moral in there somewhere.

My plan is simple: to put a Two Red Shoes blog up with complete listings of everyone who played, YouTube clips of the major bands, adverts, photos and cuttings. It’s what I’ve done with The Ballerina Ballroom in Nairn, the sister venue also run by promoter Albert Bonici. While the new blog does exist at the moment, I’m not going to link to it until all the years are online. I think it will have far more impact and certainly get local publicity if it’s complete.

Talking of The Ballerina, I put an advert in the Nairnshire Telegraph which came out yesterday but as yet have had no response. I was looking for paper items and photographs relating to the bands that played there. I know that when the ballroom was being painted prior to the “Cinema Of Dreams” festival someone walked in and told John Byrne they’d found a Syd Barrett autograph they’d obtained in 1967. Why don’t people like that contact me?

 

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

Today In Music, August 11th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Monday 11th August):

Birth

1942. Mike Hugg (Manfred Mann) born in Andover, Hampshire.

On Tour

1966. The Beatles arrive in Boston en route for Chicago, the first date of their US tour. A crowd of 500 teenagers is at the airport to greet them but didn’t see anything as they changed airplanes under close security.

Meanwhile, Representative Charles Iannello (Democrat), a member of the Massachusetts State House Of Representatives, tries to introduce a petition revoking The Beatles permit to play Boston during the tour. He asks the House, “Who are these four creeps to put themselves above the High and Almighty? Do you think they’ll do anything for the morals of our teenagers? We’ve got enough problems”. The motion is dismissed.

Later in the day, at a press conference in Chicago, John Lennon apologises for his “Beatles are more popular than Jesus Christ” remark. After the statement, Tommy Charles, the disc jockey from Birmingham, Alabama, who started the Beatles ban, said his station accepted the apology and was cancelling a planned record burning. The South African Broadcasting Corporation said it would continue its ban, although Dr. Piet Meyer, chairman of the board of governers, said they would consider the apology.

In Custody

1959. The four male members of The Platters are arrested and charged with lewdness and aiding and abetting prostitution after being found in a Cincinnati hotel with semi-naked women. They are later aquitted.

In Court

1978. P.J. Proby is cleared of causing actual bodily harm to his wife, when he appears at Hemel Hempstead Magistrate’s Court. The charge stemmed from an incident at the couple’s home in Northchurch, Herts., on April 29th when his wife alleged he shot her with an air pistol. The 39 year old pop singer was said to have committed the offence only a few days after being sacked from the starring role in the play, “Elvis”. Proby, appearing under his real name of James Marcus Smith, said that his wife had been “paralytic drunk” and had made up the story out of spite after he had discovered she was having an affair with a married man in Blackpool. When the verdict was announced, a handfull of female fans in the court started cheering.

On Television

2000. Late Show with David Letterman. (CBS, U.S.A.) Musical guests: The Eels with “Flyswatter”. 4m 12s.

Death

1984. Bluesman Percy Mayfield dies of a heart attack in Los Angeles, aged 64.

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

Today In Music, August 9th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Saturday 9th August):

Birth

1954. Pete Thomas (The Attractions) born in Sheffield, Yorkshire.

On Tour

1967. Drummer Colin Petersen and guitarist Vince Melouney of The Bee Gees have been ordered to leave Britain. The group’s personal manager, speaking today, said that the two men had been refused extensions to their visitor’s permits earlier this year. A spokesman for The Home Office said the men “came as visitors and were only given a visitor’s permit. If they had wanted to settle here permanently, they should have applied for a work voucher before they left Australia.

In Custody

1967. The supply vessel for the Radio Scotland pirate ship is boarded by Sheriff’s Officers at Methil harbour and “arrested”. The action follows a legal claim by a Belfast company who say they have not been paid for repair work on the vessel. A spokesman for Radio Scotland said the payment had been delayed as it was the subject of an insurance claim. A notice attached to the ship’s mast barrs it from being moved from the harbour.

In Hospital

1973. Stevie Wonder regains consciousness at North Carolina Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He was admitted on Monday, 6th August after the car he was travelling in collided with a logging truck. Doctors say he’s now recovering from bruising to the brain and no surgery will now be required.

On Television

1996. Late Show With David Letterman (CBS, U.S.A.) Show #0639. Musical guest: Sex Pistols with “Pretty Vacant”. 3m 50s.

Death

1995. Jerry Garcia (The Grateful Dead) dies at the Serenity Knolls drug treatment center in Forest Knolls, California. Frank Jordan, Mayor of San Francisco orders all city flags to be flown at half mast and a tie-dyed Dead flag flown above City Hall.

 

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

Today In Music, August 8th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Friday 8th August):

Birth

1958. Chris “Chrissie Boy” Foreman (Madness) born in London.

On Tour

1992. Metallica‘s James Hetfield is seriously injured by a pyrotechnic on stage at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium. He is rushed to hospital where he is found to be suffering from second and third degree burns on the back of his left hand, and first degree burns on his right arm. Although he continues the tour as lead vocalist, he is unable to play guitar and a temporary replacement, Metal Church‘s John Marshall is brought in.

The concert later ends in a riot when Axl Rose walks off after only twenty minutes suffering from throat trouble. Fans set fire to parts of the stadium, destroy seating, and ransack shops before leaving. Outside, they overturn cars and uproot street lights. Police regain control using tear gas. Two police officers are taken to hospital, 20 people are injured and 25 arrested.

In Custody

1983. Harold Melvin and three members of The Blue Notes are arrested on charges of possessiong cocaine in Atlantic City, New Jersey. They are bailed for $ 100,000.

In Court

1991. Eric Clapton is banned from driving and fined £ 200 at Guildford Magistrates Court. Clapton admitted speeding on the A3 near Wisley in Surrey in April. He had been driving his silver Ferrari at 103 miles an hour after visiting a friend to talk about the death of his son, Connor.

On Television

1994. Late Show With David Letterman (CBS, U.S.A.) Show #0210. Musical guest: Celine Dion with “River Deep, Mountain High”. 4m 33s.

Death

1975. Jazz great Julian “Canonball” Adderley dies of a stroke, aged 46.

Babble

As I said yesterday, I thought I’d give you a taste of what the exhibition space/cafe at the Ballerina Ballroom Cinema Of Dreams will look like. Here’s how it looked when I left on Wednesday:

I spent yesterday afternoon in Edinburgh grabbing some culture at the Festival and had a wonderful time at the city’s Fruitmarket Gallery. They were staging an exhibition called “The House Of Books Has No Windows” by Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller. There were six installations, each in their own room and it really was a delight. The highlight for me was “Opera For A Small Room”, a mixed media installation involving 8 record players, 24 loudspeakers and 2,000 records.

It was a celebration of the joy of being alone with a record collection and merged opera, the sounds of rain and a train, the footsteps of the mysterious inhabitant of the room and rock music. Set in a darkened space where often it was too dark to see where to move, it was a voyeuristic fantasy, constantly drawing you closer when the lights erupted. A doorway, several small windows and a large opening reminiscent of a recording studio window, allowed the viewer to glimpse the world of the inhabitant. Each viewing position revealed more quirky things illustrating the moods of the mysterious owner.

For any collector who struggles with piles and chaos it was a heartwarming evocation of life as we’d like to live it. Immersed, maybe even submerged within our collections, how much do we long to live our lives in the sounds we can manipulate? Definitely a must see. 

 

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Today In Music, August 6th

From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Wednesday 6th August):

Birth

1952. Pat MacDonald (Timbuk 3) born in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

On Tour

1970. The “Popanalia” Festival in Nice, France becomes the second one in a week to be abandoned. It should have lasted 36 hours and featured Derek & The Dominoes, Pink Floyd and Soft Machine as headliners but turned into a riot when fans discovered that Soft Machine were refusing to play after being told they wouldn’t get their agreed fee. Only Joan Baez, Country Joe and Rare Bird actually performed before disgruntled fans stormed the stage. As well as throwing a grand piano off the stage, the mob also set fire to two mobile recording studios belonging to the broadcaster RTL.

In Custody

1999. Following an incident at the city’s Music Hall on July 31st, misdemeanour assault charges are filed against Art Alexakis and Brian Lehfeldt of Everclear in Austin, Texas. Alexakis stormed off stage during the show after being hit by a plastic water cup. Security guards pulled a 17 year old girl to the front of the stage, claiming she was responsible. On his return, Alexakis is said to have thrown a plastic water bottle at the girl calling her, “a f***ing redneck bitch” while Lehfeldt kicked her.

In Court

1990. Kevin Rowland (Dexy’s Midnight Runners) is fined £ 50 and ordered to pay £ 25 costs at Marlborough Magistrates Court after admitting threatening behaviour. He was stopped by police in London’s Soho in the early hours of the morning with two others. Rowland and pal David Philips (Earth) had obviously been fighting as both had blood on their faces. Initially police just spoke to the men but shortly after being allowed to go, they started fighting again and were arrested. Another friend, Lawrence Coles was arrested for shouting and swearing.

On Television

1987. Late Night With Letterman (U.S.A.) Musical guest: Patty Smyth – “Isn’t It Enough” 4m 52s.

Death

1973. Chicago Blues singer Memphis Minnie dies in a nursing home in Memphis, Tennessee.

Babble

A trip back to the Ballerina Ballroom in Nairn gave me a pleasant surprise. I was taking some memorabilia up to let John Byrne see the sort of stuff I planned to hang and walked in to discover he’d painted one wall with the wording “Rock Dreams”. It’s reproduced below but he said it would be “Improved on”. I can’t wait to see how it develops.

Yesterday, I gave a link to the myspace site for the Ballerina Ballroom Cinema Of Dreams but the “official site” can be found here. As I said, I spent a few happy hours trawling through microfiche reels looking for a complete listing of gigs at the Ballerina. I got a couple of years done but one of the things confusing me is that it originally seems to have been in a different venue but I need to check that out. Needless to say, I’ll keep you posted with any developments.

 

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