From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Monday, 26th January):
Birth
1963. Andrew Ridgeley (Wham!) born in Windlesham, Surrey.
On Tour
1997. Lars Ulrich (Metallica) secretly marries his girlfriend Skylar in secret at a small ceremony in Las Vegas. James Hetfield does the honours as best man/witness.
In Hospital
1998. Joey Ramone‘s appearance as DJ at Toronto’s Phoenix Club is cancelled when it’s announced that the 46 year old punk has been ordered not to work for two monts. Ramone was hospitalised for tests earlier in the month. Although his management told The Toronto Sun that “Joey’s condition is very serious” they gave no other details.
In Church
1962. The Catholic Bishop of Buffalo, New York State bans The Twist being danced, sung or talked about at any catholic school or youth event.
On Television
1978. Rockpalast. (WDR, West Germany). Roy Harper (WDR Studio-L, Koln). Here he is with “Another Day”
Death
1991. Singer Karen Young dies in Philadelphia from a bleeding ulcer.
Babble
It’s amazing the things you find by accident. Looking for the clip of Roy Harper I was more than a little taken aback to see the man himself pictured in Sky Trax “studio” back in 1985. What took me by surprise was that I set up the interview and live set that he did and apart from my own VHS copy, thought it sunk without trace. It seems that “Rock Arena” rebroadcast the “Pat Sharp Show” session.
I’d set up a small Scottish tour for Roy and was looking to get as much publicity as possible. He was touring in Europe before hitting Scotland, so Sky Trax was perfect to promote him there and would certainly help me. Anyone I contacted in the BBC or ITV stations seemed to take fright at the mention of his name and his promo video for “Elizabeth” was deemed unplayable by most stations. That meant getting Roy in to do a live set.
Sky Trax studios were hidden away behind the Post Office Tower in London and he’s pictured in a loading bay, straight off the street. they weren’t used to live sessions and we were plagued by mains hum that no-one seemed able to eliminate. Happy days indeed! Here he is with “One Man Rock ‘n’ Roll Band”:
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:
1958American 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
1991Top Of The PopsBBCU.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.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”
From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Sunday, 18th January):
Birth
1941. Bobby Goldsboro born in Marianna, Florida.
On Stage
1973. The Rolling Stones play a concert at the Los Angeles Forum to aid victims of the Nicaraguan earthquake. The gig grosses $ 516,810 the largest box office receipt for a charity show until that time.
In Custody
1985. Jerry Garcia is bust by cops while he freebases cocaine in his car in Golden Gate Park. He will be ordered into a rehab programme and instructed to play a benefit concert for the Haight-Ashbury Free Food Programme.
In Court
1980. Japanese prosecutors obtain a court order to detain Paul McCartney for another 10 days shortly before the 48 hours they have to charge a subject was due to run out. They have still not decided whether to charge the ex-Beatle or deport him. Despite being in handcuffs whenever he’s moved around Tokyo, Paul’s local lawyer, Tasuku Matsuo, said that he’s being treated quite well but is not being allowed visitors apart from a brief meeting with his wife on January 16th. According to promoter Harvey Goldsmith, Linda is “rather distraught, completely frustrated and confused”. It’s also been said that Paul will willingly perform for free for the 100,000 people who have tickets for the now cancelled Japanese tour.
On Television
1976. Rockpalast (WDR, West Germany) Climax Blues Band (WDR, Studio A, Köln). Here they are with “All The Time In The World”
Death
1990. Mel Appleby (Mel And Kim) dies in London’s Cromwell Hospital. Although she had struggled for five years against a rare form of spinal cancer, she died from pneumonia which developed after she caught the common cold.
From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Thursday, 8th January):
Birth
1943. Lee Jackson (The Nice) born in Newcastle, England.
On Stage
1997. David Bowie celebrates his 50th birthday by making five previously unheard tracks available to fans via 50 hand-picked internet web sites. Rockmine was one of the 50.
Not content with celebrating on the internet, Bowie stages a birthday bash at New York’s Madison Square Gardens where he is joined onstage by Lou Reed and Billy Corgan. The post gig party has one minor interuption when the smoke alarms are triggered by the amount of smoke coming from party goers. It takes 15 minutes to kill the noise but no-one seems to care.
In Court
1994. Rapper D.O.C. (real name Tracy L. Curry) and Solar Records boss Dick Griffey file a lawsuit against the executives of Death Row Records including Dr. Dre in Los Angeles. The suit claims that Death Row was founded after a previous partnership involving all the parties was illegally disolved.
In Hospital
2000. Billy Ray Cyrus‘ wife, Tish, gives birth to a baby girl – Noah Lindsey Cyrus. Noah weighed in at 6lb 2oz at Nashville’s Baptist Hospital. The country star was later quoted as saying, “A brand new baby girl on Elvis’ birthday … What a perfect way for me and Tish to begin the new millennium together. The couple already have six children.
On Television
1977. Rockpalast (WDR, West Germany) Todd Rundgren‘s Utopia seen here with “Sunburst Finish” (WDR Studio-L Köln)
Death
2003. Film score composer, arranger and conductor, Ron Goodwin dies in Brampton Common, Berkshire, aged 77. Among the 60 plus films he scored were: Village of the Damned (1960); The Day of the Triffids (1962); 633 Squadron (1964); Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965); Where Eagles Dare (1969); One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing (1975); Force Ten from Navarone (1978).
From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Sunday, 4th January):
Birth
1956. Bernard Albrecht or Sumner (Joy Division and New Order) born Bernard Dicken in Salford, Manchester.
On Tour
1968. Police are called to an incident at the luxury Opalen Hotel in Gothenburg, Sweden. As a result Jimi Hendrix has his passport seized by police and is taken to the city’s hospital for stitches in his right hand. He will have to report to police for the next two days the group will spend on tour in the country. Criminal charges for damage are dropped by hotel management after they receive adequate financial compensation from the group’s road manager, Gerry Stickles. It’s thought that more than £ 200 worth of damage was done while Hendix and his colleagues partied. In the evening Jimi plays at the Lorensbergs Cirkus with his hand in bandages.
In Custody
1970. Keith Moon, his wife, “Legs” Larry Smith and Moon’s chaffeur, Cornelius Borland attend the opening of a new discotheque at The Red Lion public house in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. As they’re leaving at approx. 10.45 their Bentley is approached by a group of 20 skinheads. Borland moves towards the gang of youths and is soon involved in a scuffle. As Moon starts to drive away from the scene, Borland is knocked to the ground and falls under the wheels of the moving car where he is trapped, receiving fatal injuries. The fire brigade was called to the scene to free Borland’s body.
Moon spends three hours helping police with their inquiry but is not cautioned or charged. Several of the youths are also interviewed resulting in David Paul Holden, 18, appearing in Hatfield Court and an un-named boy appearing at Hatfield Juvenile Court on Monday January 5th, both charged with causing an affray. At their hearings, they are both remanded in custody for a week. On both occasions, Detective Sergeant R.G. Beveridge explains in his statement to the court that a man died during the incident.
In Hospital
1985. Doctors at Sheffield’s Royal hallamshire Hospital take the unfortunate decision to amputate the Def Leppard drummer, Rick Allen‘s arm only days after they had sewn it back on after being severed in a car crash on December 31st. They said that a serious infection had built up where it had been sewn on and they had no alternative but to remove it.
On Television
1979. Rockpalast (WDR, West Germany) Kevin Coyne (WDR Studio-L Köln). Here he is with “Having A Party”.
Death
1986. Phil Lynott dies in the intensive care unit of Salisbury Infirmary eleven days after being transferred from a rehabilitation clinic in Wiltshire. Initially it isn’t clear what caused his death but a post mortem shows that years of drug abuse had finally caught up with him. He suffered kidney, liver and heart failure as a result of blood poisoning and multiple internal abcesses.
From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Sunday 2nd November):
Birth
1941. Bruce Welch (The Shadows) born Bruce Cripps in Bognor Regis, Sussex.
On The Street
2003. P. Diddy spent today pounding the pavement and riased $ 2 million for New York children’s AIDS charities. The rapper entered the New York marathon under his real name of Sean Combs. He completed the 26 mile course in 4 hours 14 minutes and 54 seconds and came home in 11,359th place.
In Court
1998. Sarah McLachlan appears for the first day of a three week trial at court in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She is being sued by Darryl Neudorf, recording engineer on her first album, “Touch” who claims he provided parts of the songs “Vox”, “Streaming”, “Sad Clown” and “Strange World” without credit or payment. Neudorf, ex-drummer with Canadian rockers, 54-40 is playing tough. He’s scheduled witnesses from October Game a band McLachlan was in as a teenager who will testify that she has since claimed credits for songs that were written by other members of that band. Despite fans gathering for the event, proceedings are being held in closed court with no public access.
In Hospital
1998. Ska pioneer Roland Alphonso (The Skatalites) collapses onstage during a gig at the Key Club in West Hollywood. He is rushed to Cedars Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles. Despite being kept in hospital for tests and treatment, he will slip into a coma on November 17th and die on November 20th.
1996. Bluesman William “W.C.” Clarke dies in a Fresno hospital after surgery for a bleeding ulcer. He had collapsed yesterday in his hotel room shower hours before he was due onstage for a club date in the city.
From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Saturday 1st November):
Birth
1946. Ric Grech (Family, Blind Faith) born in Bordeaux, France.
On Tour
1979. Bob Dylan launches his first evangelical tour at San Francisco’s Fox Warfield Theatre. During the 95 minute performance Dylan played nothing more than a year old – and nothing which could be classed as secular. The music may have been great but the songs were “God-awful” according to the critics.
In Court
1971. Singer Danny Williams is jailed for 18 weeks at Falkirk Sheriff Court after he and his wife admitted possessing cannabis in the town’s Metropolitan Hotel yesterday. The court heard how everything went wrong for Williams, who had been a regular in the pop charts, when he was convicted for possession in 1968. His solicitor, Mr. Pat Emery, told how Williams had suffered a nervous breakdown which led to him being unable to work. That in turn led to him being made bankrupt. Williams’ wife, Jean, was remanded in custody for two weeks to allow for background reports.
To The Rescue
2001. After months of uncertainty, it seems that Jimi Hendrix‘s childhood home has been saved from the wrecking ball. The house in Seattle had been sold on eBay in August but the buyer pulled out of the deal. Pleas had been made to Paul Allen who owns the Experience Music Project but he had no interest in it.
A condominium developer who had planned to demolish the building in the next two weeks has agreed to sell it to a developer who happens to be a former business manager og Leon hendrix, the guitarist’s brother. He plans to move the house to a temporary location while a permanent home can be found for it.
On Television
1983. Rockpalast (WDR, Germany) Jack Bruce And Band (Zeche Bochum). Here they are with “Green And Blue”.
Death
1990. Ron Wood‘s father dies from a heart attack during a conversation with his son at the guitarist’s home in Wimbledon.
From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Sunday 7th September):
Birth
1957. Margot Chapman (Starland Vocal Band) born in Honolulu, Hawaii.
On Tour
1965. Sandie Shaw announces she’s cancelling a week’s residency at a cabaret in Manchester and two television shows due to laryngitis. Sandie suffered from the same problem only three weeks ago when she was preparing to leave for a concert tour of New Zealand.
In Court
1966. Vivian Martin Prince, 25, former drummer with The Pretty Things, is fined a total of £ 102 at Marlborough Magistrates Court. Prince pleaded guilty to possession of three Drynamil tablets (for which he is fined £ 50), a gas gun (£ 50) and seven cartridges of tear gas (£ 2). He is given 28 days to pay. Prince told police that the drugs had been left by a friend and the gun was a souvenir of his German tour last year. Prince already has a drugs conviction from 1963, for which he was fined £ 25.
In Hospital
1997. Julio Iglesias‘s 31 year old Dutch girlfriend, Miranda Rijnsburger, gives birth to the couple’s first child, Michael Alexander, at Mount Sinai Hospital in Miami, Florida. The 53 year old crooner was present for the birth. He already has three other children in their twenties.
On Television
1976. Rockpalast (WDR, West Germany) Mallard (WDR Studio-L Köln). “Back On The Pavement” 3m 40s.
Death
1978. Keith Moon‘s body is discovered by his 23 year old fiancee, Annette Walter-Lax at the couple’s penthouse flat in Curzon Street, Mayfair, London. The couple had spent a night out at the London premiere of “The Buddy Holly Story” after a large dinner with Paul McCartney and other friends, where they’d announced their engagement. In the morning, Moon got up, had some breakfast and took some pills to help him sleep before returning to bed. He never woke up again. Initial reports indicate death was due to an overdose of Heminevrin, prescribed for insomnia.
From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Wednesday 3rd September):
Birth
1982. Dennis Wilson‘s girlfriend Shawn Love (illegitimate daughter of his cousin Mike Love) gives birth to his son, Gage.
Not In Space
2002. A spokesman for the Russian Space Agency today announced that Lance Bass, singer with ‘N Sync, has been asked to leave the Star City cosmonaut complex outside Moscow where he has been training for a trip to the international space station. Despite at least one extension to the deadline for receipt of sponsorship money, the $ 20 million, payable in advance, had still not been received. Had the trip gone as planned, Bass would, at 23 years old, have been the youngest person ever in space and only the third paying passenger on a Russian flight to the space station.
In Custody
1999. Nikki Sixx is arrested after a Motley Crue show in Raleigh, North Carolina and charged on four counts – felony riot plus misdemeanour offences of assault, disorderly conduct and inciting a riot. All the charges relate to a concert in Greensboro in October 1997 when Sixx and Tommy Lee hurled racist abuse at a security guard and encouraged the crowd to attack him. Lee was not arrested as he didn’t play at tonight’s show. Unless he turns himself in, Sheriff B.J. Barnes has said he will post Lee on a national wanted list. If that happens, the drummer could be arrested anywhere in the U.S. and forcibly returned to Greensboro. Sixx is released early the following morning after posting a $ 7,500 bond.
If the criminal charges weren’t enough, both Crue members have a civil trial to look forward to in November.
In Court
1970. In a list of petitions published at the Divorce Court in London today, it’s revealed that both Marianne Faithfull (23) and her husband, John Dunbar (26), have filed for divorce. The couple, who married in 1965, have been separated for the past 18 months. Marianne has simply filed for divorce but in a cross plea, Dunbar has named Mick Jagger. The cases are due to be heard in October.
On Television
1979. Rockpalast (WDR, West Germany) Martin Kolbe and Ralf Illenberger performing the “Ball In Play” from their first album, “Waves” (WDR Studio-L Köln). 6m 12s.
Death
1970. Al “Blind Owl” Wilson (Canned Heat) is found dead in Bob Hite‘s back garden having consumed a bottle of pills.
From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Friday 29th August):
Birth
1944. Sterling Morrison (Velvet Underground) born in Long Island, New York.
On Stage
1958. George Harrison joins John Lennon and Paul McCartney in The Quarrymen as they play at the opening night of The Casbah Club in Liverpool.
In Service
1991. UB40 front-man, Ali Campbell, is served with a paternity suit at his home in Birmingham. The action has been raised by 22 year old Tiffany Crow who claims that she got pregnant after two nights of sex with the star during UB40’s last US tour. Campbell has previously denied he is the father. A court will probably demand blood tests to settle the matter.
In Custody
1977. Three men are arrested and charged with trying to steal Elvis Presley‘s body from Forest Hill cemetery in Memphis. It’s thought they were planning to hold the corpse for ransom. As a result Elvis soon moves to Graceland.
On Television
rockminer
1981. Rockpalast (WDR, West Germany) Thin Lizzy; Nine Below Zero; Outlaws; .38 Special (Loreley St. Goarshausen). Here are Thin Lizzy with “Are You Ready”. 3m 44s.
Death
1998. Country singer Johnny Rodriguez is charged with murder after shooting a friend at his home in Texas this morning. He has been troubled with burglars over the past months and when he heard a noise at the door and saw a figure he fired. Unfortunately it was Israel Borrego, an unemployed labourer he met several months ago. The singer is being held until a bail bond of $ 250,000 can be raised.
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