From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Sunday, 8th February):
Birth
1946. Alfredo Fito (Canned Heat) born Adolpho De La Parra in Mexico City, Mexico.
On Stage
1963. Shane Fenton is pelted with eggs when he appears at a lunchtime rock ‘n’ roll session at the Lyceum Ballroom in The Strand, London. Fenton was a last minute replacement for Jess Conrad and was miming when the eggs started to fly.
In Court
1980. David Bowie‘s marriage to Angie ends as their divorce is finalised today. David gets custody of their son, Zowie (now calling himself Joe). Angie gets a cash settlement of £ 30,000. She’s also telling the world that she expects to make another £ 100,000 by writing her memoirs!
In Hospital
1997. The New Edition reunion tour runs into problems in Los Angeles. Bobby Brown fails to show for the gig claiming he has flu and couldn’t perform. If that wasn’t enough, Ronnie Devoe walked off stage during the set after seeing his uncle, the group’s manager Brooke Payne, collapse with chest pains in the wings. Devoe accompanied his uncle to hospital where he was checked over before being discharged to rest at home.
On Television
2008. Later… With Jools Holand. (BBC-2, U.K.) Mayra Andrade; Morrissey; Ida Maria; British Sea Power and Joe Brown. Morrissey performs four tracks. Here he is with one of them, “All You Need Is Me”.
Death
1973. Max Yasgur, the farmer on whose land Woodstock was staged, dies of a heart attack in a Florida hospital.
From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Thursday 19th June):
Birth
1948. Nick Drake born in Rangoon, Burma.
On Politics
1984. Michael Jackson is denounced by the Kremlin for having sold out his black roots and being a puppet of the Reagan administration.
In Custody
1990. Adam Franklin (Swervedriver) is arrested and charged with causing an affray after an incident with a bouncer after the band’s gig at London’s Borderline Club which leaves him with several broken teeth and facial bruising. He spends a night in police cells before being released in the morning. Due to his injuries he can barely speak. As a result the band cancel the rest of their U.K. tour.
In The Press
1976. Seventeen year old scribe, Steven Morrissey hits the big time when he gets a letter published in Melody Maker and New Musical Express about The Sex Pistols concert on June 4th in Manchester. Here’s the letter:
“I PEN this epistle after witnessing the infamous Sex Pistols ‘in concert’ at the Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall. The bumptious Pistols in jumble sale attire had those few that attended dancing in the aisles despite their discordant music and barely audible audacious lyrics, and they were called back for two encores. The Pistols boast no inspiration from the New York / Manhattan rock scene, yet their set includes “I’m Not Your Steppin’ Stone” a number believed to be done almost to perfection by the Heartbreakers on any sleazy New York night, and the Pistols’ vocalist/exhibitionist Johnny Rotten‘s attitude and self-asserted “love us or leave us” approach can be compared to both Iggy Pop and David JoHansen in their heyday.
Not to mention the fact that the Pistol’s manager is the legendary Malcolm MacClaren who has had close connections with the New York Dolls. The Sex Pistols are very New York and it’s nice to see that the British have produced a band capable of producing atmosphere created by the N.Y. Dolls and their many imitators, even though it may be too late. I’d love to see the Pistols make it. Maybe then they will be able to afford some clothes which don’t look as though they’ve been slept in.” – STEVE MORRISEY, Stretford, Manchester
On Television
1980. Musikladen (ZDF, Germany) 54. A la Carte – Do wah diddy diddy; Gibson Brothers – Mariana; The Days – Teacher, teacher; Oscar Harris – Song for the children; Matchbox – Midnite dynamos; Jona Lewie – Kitchen at parties; Jimmy Ruffin – Hold on to my love; Paul McCartney – Coming up (Video); Pretenders – Brass in pocket; Marianne Faithful – Broken English; Roxy Music – Over you; Lipps Inc. – Funkytown; Johnny Cash – Sunday morning coming down (Oldie: 1972); Showaddywaddy – Always & ever. Here’s Marianne Faithful.
Death
2002. Frank “Skip” Candelon, ex-lead singer of Turning Point is found dead in his New Jersey home from a suspected drug overdose. The event is announced by the band’s web site which also says, “the family wishes the details of Skip’s death to remain private”.
Babble
I’ve finally got some of Rockmine’s music film posters up for sale on-line. They’ve been sitting in drawers and portfolios since they were last taken to a memorabilia/record fair in Paris back in 1995! They’re all originals, sent out to cinemas to promote the movie. Here are direct links to them:
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