Musician Birthdays: George Benson (US singer/songwriter, jazz guitarist. Famous for the hit, “Give Me the Night”. Born in 1943), Andrew Lloyd Webber (UK composer of musical theatre. Famous for composing music for “Phantom of the Opera”, “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Evita” and more. Born in 1948)

– In 1956: While driving to New York for appearances on ‘The Perry Como Show’, and ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’, the car that Carl Perkins was traveling in was involved in an accident putting Perkins in hospital for several months. The singer received four broken ribs and a broken shoulder, his brother Jay was killed in the accident.

– In 1965: ‘Bringing It All Back Home’, Bob Dylan’s fifth studio album was released. The album reached No.6 on Billboard’s Pop Albums chart, the first of Dylan’s LPs to break into the US top 10, and it also topped the UK charts later that Spring. The lead-off track, Subterranean Homesick Blues, became Dylan’s first single to chart in the US, peaking at No.39. The album’s iconic cover, photographed by Daniel Kramer, features Sally Grossman, wife of Dylan’s manager Albert Grossman, lounging in the background. The artefacts scattered around the room include vinyl LPs by The Impressions and Robert Johnson.

– In 1971: US police arrested all the members from The Allman Brothers Band for heroin and marijuana possession.

– In 1975: Led Zeppelin started a six-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with Physical Graffiti, the group’s fourth US No.1 album. On its first day of release in the US, the album shipped a million copies – no other album in the history of Atlantic records had generated so many sales. Physical Graffiti has now been certified 16 times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for US sales in excess of 16 million copies.

– In 1978: The Rutles’ ‘All You Need Is Cash’, an affectionate spoof of the Beatles’ career, was broadcast for the first time in the US.

– In 1980: Pink Floyd’s Another Brick In The Wall, (Part 2) started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart. The track, which was the group’s only US chart topper, was also a No.1 in the UK, Germany, Australia, Italy and in many other countries around the world. Pink Floyd received a Grammy nomination for Best Performance by a Rock Duo or Group for the song, but lost to Bob Seger’s Against The Wind.

– In 1984: Queen filmed the video for ‘I Want To Break Free’ at Limehouse Studio in London, England. Directed by David Mallet, it was a parody of the northern British soap opera Coronation Street with the band members dressed in drag. Guitarist Brian May later said the video ruined the band in America, and was initially banned by MTV in the US.

– In 1986: Heart went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘These Dreams’, it made No.8 in the UK in 1988.

– In 2009: Lady Gaga Started a three week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Poker Face’, her second UK chart topper and a No.1 hit in over 20 countries.

– In 1956: Elvis Presley appeared at the 4,000 seated YMCA Gymnasium in Lexington, North Carolina. Also on the bill, Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters, featuring June Carter, Rod Brasfield, Hal and Ginger. Tickets cost $1 for general admission and $1.50 for reserved seats.

– In 1961: The Beatles played their first ever evening show at The Cavern Club in Liverpool, supporting The Swinging Bluegenes, (later to become The Swinging Blue Jeans).

– In 1965: After ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ had held the No.1 position on the US singles chart for seven weeks, The Beatles started a two-week run at No.1 with ‘She Loves You’.

– In 1972: The Grateful Dead played the first of seven nights at the Academy of Music in New York City, New York.

– In 1976: Iggy Pop and David Bowie were involved in a drug bust at their hotel room in Rochester, New York.

– In 1981: REO Speedwagon went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Keep On Loving You’, the group’s first top 40 hit and first No.1, a No.7 hit in the UK.

– In 1984: Strawberry Fields, an area in Central Park bought by Yoko Ono in memory of her late husband was opened.

– In 1985: Bruce Springsteen kicked off the second leg of his Born in the USA world tour at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia.

– In 1987: U2 scored their third UK No.1 album with ‘The Joshua Tree’, featuring the singles ‘Where The Streets Have No Name’, & ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’. The album became the fastest selling in UK history and the first album to sell over a million CDs, spending a total of 156 weeks on the UK chart. Also a US No.1.

– In 1991: Leo Fender, the inventor of The Telecaster and Stratocaster guitars died from Parkinson’s disease. He started mass producing solid body electric guitars in the late 40s and when he sold his guitar company in 1965, sales were in excess of $40 million a year.

– In 1994: Bruce Springsteen won an Oscar for the song ‘Streets of Philadelphia.’

– In 1997: Snoop Doggy Dog was sentenced to three years probation and fined $1,000 (£588) for a firearms violation after a handgun was found in his car when he was stopped for a traffic violation.

– In 2001: Eminem was ordered to pay $476,000 (£280,000) as part of his divorce agreement with his ex-wife Kim. Also as part of the agreement Eminem would keep the US mansion and they would share custody of their five-year-old daughter, Hailie Jade.

– In 2004: Ozzy Osbourne was named the nation’s favourite ambassador to welcome aliens to planet earth. The 55-year-old singer came top of a poll as the face people want to represent them to alien life. The poll of internet users was carried out following the discovery of signs of water on Mars. Ozzy won 26 per cent of the vote, Simon Cowell, came last on the list, with just three per cent of the vote, A spokesman for Yahoo! News said: “As the world waits desperately for signs of alien life, we decided to ask our users who they thought was best suited for this most auspicious of roles. Ozzy is a great choice but I’m not sure what the Martians would make of his individual approach to the English language.”

– In 2008: A five-year legal row over the use of the Beach Boys’ name was settled by two former members of the group. Mike Love had argued he was the only person allowed to perform under the name of the band and sued Al Jardine, whom he claimed was appearing as an unlicensed Beach Boys act. Mr Jardine’s lawyer said “a friendly settlement” had been reached that allowed them to focus on the talent and future of this American iconic band.’

– In 2009: U2 went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘No Line on the Horizon’, the bands twelfth studio album.

– In 1960: Elvis Presley started his first recordings since being discharged from the US Army. A 12 hour session in a Nashville recording studio produced his next No.1 single, ‘Stuck On You’. Scotty Moore and Bill Black, who had quit Presley’s touring band in 1957, were in the studio with him for the last time.

– In 1961: Elvis Presley started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Surrender’, his fifth No.1 of the 60’s. It also made No.1 in the UK. The song was based on the 1911 Italian song, ‘Return To Sorrento.’

– In 1968: Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Richie Furay and Jim Mesina, were arrested in Los Angeles for ‘being at a place where it was suspected marijuana was being used.’ Clapton was later found innocent, the others paid small fines.

– In 1969: John Lennon married Yoko Ono at the British Consulate Office in Gibraltar. They spent their honeymoon in Amsterdam campaigning for an international “Bed-In” for peace. They planned another “Bed-in” in the United States, but were denied entry. The couple then went to Montr’al, and during a “Bed-in” at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel recorded ‘Give Peace a Chance’. Lennon also detailed this period in The Beatles’ ‘The Ballad of John and Yoko’, recorded by Lennon and McCartney on April 14, 1969.

– In 1971: At their own expense The Rolling Stones placed full page advertisements in all the UK’s music papers disclaiming any connection with the release of the Decca album ‘Stone Age’ saying ‘in our opinion the content is below the standard we try to keep.’

– In 1971: Janis Joplin started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with the Kris Kristofferson’s ‘Me And Bobby McGee’. Joplin died the year before on 4th October aged 27.

– In 1977: Lou Reed was banned from appearing The London Palladium in England because of his punk image.

– In 1977: T Rex played their final ever gig when they appeared at The Locarno in Portsmouth, England.

– In 1982: Joan Jett And The Blackhearts started a seven week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll’, a No.4 hit in the UK. The song had been a B-side from 60’s bands The Arrows.

– In 1990: Gloria Estefans tour bus was rammed by a tractor-trailer on the way to a concert. Emilio Estefan and their son Nayib were injured; Gloria suffered a serious back injury, which required an operation two days later.

– In 1991: Eric Clapton’s four year old son, Conor, fell to his death from the 53rd story of a New York City apartment after a housekeeper who was cleaning the room left a window open. The boy was in the custody of his mother, Italian actress, Lori Del Santo and the pair were visiting a friend’s apartment. Clapton was staying in a nearby hotel after taking his son to the circus the previous evening. The tragedy inspired his song ‘Tears in Heaven’.

I know I’ve been falling behind on the “This Day In Music” for the past couple of days, that’s because on the weekends, I didn’t feel like going through all that. So here’s todays.

Kev

—————————————————————————

Musician Birthdays: Ricky Wilson (guitarist of the B-52’s, famous for the hit, “Love Shack”. Born in 1953), Billy Sheehan (bassist of Mr. Big, famous for the hit, “To Be With You”. Born in 1953), Bruce Willis (Actor, singer. Born in 1955), Carrie Underwood (US country singer/songwriter, winner of 4th season of American Idol. Born in 1983)

– In 1958: During his only UK tour, Buddy Holly played two shows at the Regal Cinema in Hull, Yorkshire. Also on the bill, Gary Miller, The Tanner Sisters, Des O’Conner, The Montanas, Ronnie Keene & His Orchestra.

– In 1962: Bob Dylan’s debut album Bob Dylan was released in the Untied States. Initially poor sales led the record to be known around Columbia Records as ‘Hammond’s Folly’ (John Hammond was producer of Dylan’s early recordings and the man responsible for signing Dylan). The album was praised by the New York City weekly newspaper Village Voice as an ‘explosive country blues debut’, but featured only two Dylan original compositions, Talkin’ New York and Song To Woody, the rest being old folk standards.

– In 1965: The Tailor And Cutter Magazine ran an article asking The Rolling Stones to start wearing ties. The current fashion did not include wearing ties with shirts and many tie-makers were facing financial disaster. Mick Jagger said of the appeal, “The trouble with a tie is that it could dangle in the soup. It is also something extra to which a fan can hang when you are trying to get in and out of a theater.”

– In 1968: The Jimi Hendrix Experience played two shows at The Capitol Theatre, Ottawa, Canada.

– In 1974: Jefferson Airplane re-named the group and became Jefferson Starship. The new line-up included Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, drummer Johnny Barbata, David Freiberg, Peter Kaukonen, Cragi Chaquico and Papa John Creach.

– In 1975: Led Zeppelin played the first of two sold-out nights at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, Canada. Tickets cost $7.50. The set list included: ‘Rock And Roll’, ‘Stairway To Heaven’, ‘Whole Lotta Love’, ‘Black Dog’ and ‘Heartbreaker’.

– In 1982: Ozzy Osbourne’s rhythm guitarist and former Quiet Riot member Randy Rhoads was killed when the plane he was riding in crashed. After driving much of the night, the band had stopped near a small airstrip. The tour bus driver, Andrew Aycock, talked the band’s keyboardist, Don Airey, into taking a test flight in a ’55 Beechcraft Bonanza, the joyride ended, and the plane landed safely. Then Aycock took Rhoads and Rachel Youngblood on another flight and attempts were made to “buzz” the tour bus. The left wing clipped the bus, which sent the plane spiraling into a nearby house and bursting into flames. All three bodies were burned beyond recognition, and were identified by dental records.

– In 1995: Bruce Springsteen started a two week run at No.1 on the US album chart with his ‘Greatest Hits.’

– In 1996: The second Beatles Anthology series was released. The album featured ‘Real Love’, a track the remaining members of the Beatles recorded using an old demo track of John Lennon’s. The song was first recorded by Lennon in 1977 with a handheld tape recorder on his piano at home, it originated as part of an unfinished stage play that Lennon was working on at the time entitled “The Ballad of John and Yoko.”

– In 1999: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band played the second night at the Asbury Park Convention Hall, New Jersey as warm up dates for their forthcoming Reunion Tracks tour.

– In 2006: Shakira was set to become the first pop star to release a single only in the form of a mobile download. The singers forthcoming release ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ would not be issued in the US as a CD or as a download via the internet but would be available to phone users connected to Verizon.

Loren Weisman said:

“Its an Interesting ratio between those that ask for an honest opinion to those that just want compliments and are not really looking for an honest opinion. If you cant handle criticism well, don’t flat out ask for the opportunity to receive it.”

Amen to that!

If you want to play in a band or as an acoustic solo act and if you want to put your music out there for the whole world to hear, then you must be able to handle criticism well.

I’ve seen plenty of bands & artists who just put their music on the internet, asking for the public’s opinion on their stuff. Then they get all kinds of nasty and mean criticism in return for it. Then the musician who made the music would become all defensive and complain about the negative criticism. If you didn’t want the negative criticism, then you shouldn’t have asked for it.

The music world is wide open. People are going to respond to your music, either  good or bad. You have to have balls, and be brave. Don’t let the critics bring you down. People use the internet to be real and honest about everything. Some feedback will be kind and some feedback will not be.

I’m trying to take bad criticism the best I can. It’s a learning experience, indeed.

Kev

Musician Birthdays: Michael Bruce (guitarist of Alice Coooper. Born in 1948), Nancy Wilson (singer of Heart, born in 1954)

– In 1964: The Beatles set a new record for advance sales in the U.S. with 2,100,000 copies of their latest single ‘Can’t Buy Me Love.’

– In 1965: The Rolling Stones were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘The Last Time’, the bands third UK No.1 and first No.1 for songwriters Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

– In 1968: The posthumously released Otis Redding single ‘Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay’, started a five week run at No.1 on the US chart, (a No.3 hit the UK). Otis was killed in a plane crash on 10th December 1967 three days after recording the song. ‘Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay’, became the first posthumous No.1 single in US chart history and sold over four million copies worldwide.

– In 1971: Winners at this years Grammy Awards included, Simon and Garfunkel who won Record of the year, Song of the year and Album of the year for ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’, The Carpenters won Best new act and Best vocal performance.

– In 1972: John Lennon lodged an appeal with the US immigration office in New York, after he was served with deportation orders arising from his 1968 cannabis possession conviction.

– In 1974: Barbra Streisand started a two-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘The Way We Were’, the singers second US No.1.

– In 1974: During a US tour Elvis Presley played the first of four nights at the Midsouth Coliseum in Memphis Tennessee. This was the first time Elvis had played in Memphis since 1961.

– In 1977: After being with the label for just six days The Sex Pistols were fired from A&M due to pressure from other label artists and its Los Angeles head office. 25,000 copies of ‘God Save The Queen’ were pressed and the band made £75,000 ($127,500) from the deal.

– In 1977: Pink Floyd played the second of five sold-out nights at Empire Pool, Wembley, London, England. The set list included: Sheep, Pigs on the Wing 1, Dogs, Pigs on the Wing 2, Pigs (Three Different Ones), Wish You Were Here, Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Welcome to the Machine, Have a Cigar, Money and Us and Them.

– In 1991: Seven members of Country singer Reba McEntire’s band and her road manager were among 10 people who were killed when their private jet crashed in California just north of the Mexican border. McEntire, who had given a private concert in San Diego for IBM employees the night before, was not on the plane.

– In 1992: During a Metallica gig at Orlando Arena fans dangled an usher by his ankles from the balcony as trouble broke out at the concert. The band were charged $38,000 (£22,353) for repairs and cleaning after the audience trashed the building.

– In 1996: The Ramones performed what they claimed would be their last ever date in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

– In 2005: Billy Joel checked into a rehabilitation centre for alcohol abuse. A statement from the 55-year-old singer’s spokesperson put his latest problems down to “a recent bout of severe gastrointestinal distress.”

– In 2010: Abba were inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with Genesis and The Hollies. Abba’s Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad accepted their trophies, in New York.

– In 2010: A rare Led Zeppelin recording from the group’s 1971 gig at St Matthew’s Baths Hall in Ipswich, England was unearthed at a car boot sale. The bootleg copy of the audio from the group’s gig on November 16th 1971 was picked up for just “two or three pounds” by music fan Vic Kemp. “I was going through a stand of CDs at the car boot at Portman Road and the guy who was selling them said, ‘You might be interested in this,'” Vic Kemp told the Evening Star. “It must have been recorded by someone standing at the front with a microphone. You can hear Robert Plant talking to the audience quite clearly.”