From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Tuesday, 6th January):
Birth
1948. “Sandy” Denny (Fairport Convention; Fotheringay) born Alexandra Elene Maclean Denny in Wimbledon, London.
On Tour
1977. The Sex Pistols are playing Rotterdam Art Centre but back in London, EMI Records chairman Sir John Read decides that press coverage of the band’s behaviour at Heathrow Airport is the last straw. As of today, the band’s contract is terminated. Pressing plants are instructed to cease production of “Anarchy In The UK” and the single is deleted from catalogue.
In Court
1998. Paula Cole‘s tour manager, Phillip Sullivan appears in a Kentucky court charged with attempted rape, assault and burglary. He pleads not-guilty to the charges and is released on $ 10,000 bail. Sullivan had been arrested at Boston’s Logan International Airport on December 24th following an incident in Kentucky on December 17th. His lawyers say it’s a case of mistaken identity and believe they have a “rock solid alibi” as he was on tour at the time.
In Hospital
1997. Frank Sinatra is rushed to the Cedars of Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles suffering from an irregular heartbeat. Barbara Sinatra, the star’s fourth wife is at his bedside and children Frank Jnr., Nancy and Tina are on their way. The 81 year old singer spent ten days in hospital at the end of last year after suffering from a heart attack and pneumonia.
On The Web.
2008. Rockmine‘s first blog appears on WordPress!
On Television
1971. The Johnny Cash Show (ABC, U.S.A.) 46. Guests include Erik Anderson, Derek & The Dominos, Connie Smith, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Homer & Jethro. Here are Derek & The Dominoes with “It’s Too Late”
Death
1987. Folk singer Alex Campbell dies in hospital in Tonder, Denmark, aged 63. He had suffered from throat cancer since 1983.
From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Monday 10th November):
Birth
1947. Glen Buxton (Alice Cooper) born in Akron, Ohio.
On Stage
1965. Bill Graham stages his first promotion at the Fillmore Auditorium featuring The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane.
In Court
1978. Johhny Rotten starts legal proceedings in the High Court in London to wind-up The Sex Pistols. His lawyers are granted special leave to serve notice of the action on Sid Vicious who is currently on bail in a New York hospital accused of murdering his girlfriend, Nancy Spungeon. Vicious was admitted to hospital after slashing his wrists in an abortive suicide attempt. Further action is adjourned for a hearing date to be set.
In The Studio
1966. Brian Wilson is hard at work in Gold Star Studios, Los Angeles on the new Beach Boys album, “Smile”. The track “Fire” doesn’t seem to be coming together so he sends an aide out to a toy store to buy plastic red fire helmets for the orchestra, studio crew and friends assembled there. Even that doesn’t quite capture the feeling he’s trying to create so he gets the studio’s janitor, Brother Julius, to start a fire in a bucket in the middle of the studio. On the 24th take he is finally satisfied. Later in the evening, Brian is told that the studio was nearly burned down. A wave of fires had been sweeping the city during the week and Brian decides they’ve been caused by his recording of the track. He tries to set light to the master tape but it won’t ignite. Convinced that he’s imbued the track with magical properties he has the tape locked in a vault where it can do no harm.
On Television
1972. The Partridge Family (ABC, U.S.A.) Swiss Family Partridge. Here’s the complete episode. The first clip links to the other two parts.
Death
2006. Gerald Levert (LeVert) dies in Newbury, Ohio, U.S. from an accidental mix of prescription drugs and over the counter medications.
From the Rockmine Almanac for today (Wednesday 8th October):
Birth
1948. Johnny Ramone born John Cummings in Long Island.
On Tour
1993. David Griffith a 27 year old Levellers fan dies after falling from the balcony at the band’s sell-out show at Newcastle’s Mayfair. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Royal Victoria Infirmary where a post mortem later shows that he died from head injuries.
In Court
1999. Debbie Rowe Jackson files divorce papers in Los Angeles County Superior Court citing irreconcilable differences with husband Michael Jackson. The petition states that the couple have been separated since July 15th this year. A confidential settlement has been agreed regarding property and money. No indication is given as to custody arrangements for the couple’s two children – Michael Joseph Jackson Jnr. (2) and Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson (1).
Jackson met Rowe when she was working as a nurse in the office of his plastic surgeon. They married on November 15th 1996.
In Business
1976. The Sex Pistols sign to EMI Records at a four hour long evening meeting. The signing was rather unexpected and rushed. Polydor Records seemed to be the only label ready to sign them – so much so, they’d actually booked a recording session for tonight. The signing fee is £ 40,000, a considerable amount for an as yet unheard band.
On Television
1995. Taratata (France 4, France) Solos: Tears For Fears, Pascal Obispo. Duos: Tears For Fears and Oletta Adams, Tears For Fears and Julian Lennon – “Stand By Me”
Death
1995. Music journalist Johnny Waller dies in a road accident aged 40.
Babble
My real problem today is understanding what’s going on in Elgin. I have considered it to be a real Narnia transposed to the North Easst of Scotland and I have thought it akin to falling down the rabbit hole after its white owner. Today, I may just have got a handle on it: the reality diffusion effect.
In anthropology, diffusion accepts that races and cultures will spread and intermingle. Racial purity and ethnic traits are lost but to a large degree appearances remain the same. So, let’s consider it here. Reality starts with a premise that everyone can believe in and then through intermingling with other ideas becomes something totally different. For example, a date is agreed and then allowed to diffuse. The most recent occurence of this was on September 26. Two people take away the same date and yet even in the space of a week it duffuses into two dates separated by a month.
What the Hell are you talking about? I hear you say. Well, it’s the imaginary memorabilia exhibition on the walls of the wardrobe in Narnia. You really would be surprised at just how capacious it is. However, it doesn’t help that I’m the one holding on to reality.
Today, while I should have been organising something (although I’m not sure what), I’ve ended up dealing with mails from two different owners of the wardrobe both of whom seem to have the outstanding ability to totally contradict themselves. They’ll quite happily say “I didn’t say that” only to be confronted with a previous mail from them which clearly says exactly that. The amazing bit is they can then turn round and say, “No, I may have said that but that wasn’t what I meant.”
Reality diffusion at its finest!
I’ve asked the wardrobe owners to put together a press release with me explaining that after six months we’ve given up on the idea of staging a memorabilia exhibition. It may seem an odd thing to publicize but I feel it’s essential to stop me looking like a total moron. That said, maybe the fact that I’ve spent six months trying to do this just proves that I am one!
One good thing about this is having got my head round the fact that very little of what I see here is real, it’s easy to get totally into the idea of virtual reality. So, although I’m going to tie this up tomorrow, I’m going to forget a real exhibition for now and stage a virtual one. In other words, I’ll just put all the exhibition pieces online and share them with the whole world.
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