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.
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:
July07 – 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.
July10 – Cream return to play their concert.
July21 – Pink Floyd
July28 – Gino Washington and The Ram Jam Band plus The Copy Cats
August18 – The Small Faces – concert cancelled.
August31 – Zoot Money and his new group Dantalion’s Chariot plus The T-Set
September08 – The Freddie Mack Show
September15 – The Throb plus The Life N’ Soul
September22 – Tony Merrick plus The T-Set
October06 – The Who plus Gideon’s Few
October 13 – The Beatstalkers plus The Rebel Sound
October20 – The Four Shades Of Blue plus The T-Set
October27 – The Tamala Express plus The Beatroute
November03 – The Rhubarb plus The Barons
November10 –Clock-work Orange plus Last Chapter
November17 – Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
December01 – The Delroy Williams Show plus Keith Taylor
December08 – The Troggs plus The Throb
December15 – Symon Dupree
December22 – Cash Boutique Queen For 1967. Grand Final
December25 – Aberdeen Students’ Charities’ Campaign present Their Xmas Beatnik Ball with The Circle plus The T-Set
December29 – 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.
Rockmine's Archive Log 