Monthly Archive: January 2016

Too bad people can’t always be playing music, maybe then there wouldn’t be any more wars.
~Margot Benary-Isbert

1931 – The late Sam Cooke (‘You Send Me’) was born.

1940 – The late Addie ‘Micki’ Harris (Shirelles – ‘Soldier Boy’) was born.

1949 – Steve Perry (former lead singer with Journey – ‘Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’) was born and is celebrating his 67th birthday today.

1960 – The late Michael Hutchence (lead singer with INXS – ‘Need You Tonight’) was born in 1960.

1960 – Sam Cooke left Keen Records over a royalties dispute and signed with RCA Records.

1962 – Gene Chandler (‘Duke Of Earl’) made his TV debut on American Bandstand.

1962 – Bruce Channel released ‘Hey Baby’.

1963 – The Drifters recorded ‘On Broadway’ at Bell Sound Studios in New York City.

1963 – 14-year old ‘Little’ Peggy March released ‘I Will Follow Him’ / ‘Wind Up Doll’.

1963 – Gerry & The Pacemakers recorded ‘How Do You Do It’.
Rock Factoid: The song had originally been recorded by The Beatles but they were intent on releasing their own composition (‘Love Me Do’). Producer George Martin gave it to The Pacemakers. Their version, released in March 1963, topped the UK singles chart for three weeks.

1966 – The Beach Boys recorded the instrumental backing for ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’.
Rock Factoid: To be more precise, the recording featured the Wrecking Crew of Jerry Cole and Bill Pitman (guitars), Carole Kaye (bass), Larry Knetchel (organ), Al de Lory (piano), Steve Douglas and Plas Johnson (saxophones), Barney Kessel and Ray Pohlman (mandolin), Frank Marocco (accordion, and Hal Blaine (drums). The only Beach Boy present was Brian Wilson, who produced the backing track.

1968 – The Kinks released ‘Something Else’ in the U.S. The album had sold poorly in England when it was released four months earlier and it did not sell well in the U.S., either, despite containing perhaps the finest (ever) of Ray Davies’ compositions – ‘Waterloo Sunset’.

1968 – The First Edition released ‘Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)’ / ‘Shadow In The Corner Of Your Mind’.

1968 – Sly & The Family Stone released ‘Dance To The Music’.
Rock Factoid: The group didn’t like the song – saxophonist Jerry Martini said “it was such an unhip thing for us to do,” – but the single did what it was supposed to do: it launched Sly & The Family Stone into the pop consciousness and reached #8 on the Singles chart.

1969 – With George Harrison back from his brief resignation from the band, The Beatles (along with Billy Preston) reconvened the Let It Be sessions (at Apple Studios on Savile Row, NOT Abbey Road Studios).
Rock Factoid: Songs rehearsed on this date included ‘Going Up The Country’, ‘All I Want Is You’ (working title of ‘Dig A Pony’), ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’, ‘Don’t Let Me Down’, ‘Rocker’, ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’ and ‘She Came In Through The Bathroom Window’.

1971 – Mad Dogs & Englishmen, a documentary on Joe Cocker’s American tour with Leon Russell, premiered at London’s Festival Place.

1981 – Rolling Stone magazine published the John Lennon tribute edition. The cover featured Lennon naked and clinging to his wife, Yoko Ono. The photo was taken on December 8, 1980, just hours before he was murdered.
Rock Factoid: Photographer Annie Leibovitz has said the original concept for the cover was for both to appear nude, designed to mark the release of their album ‘Double Fantasy’. Lennon was game, shedding his clothes quickly, but Ono felt uncomfortable. Leibovitz recalled being, “kinda disappointed, and I said, ‘Just leave everything on.’ We took one Polaroid, and the three of us knew it was profound right away.”

1982 – Huey Lewis and the News released ‘Do You Believe In Love’. The song, written by Robert ‘Mutt’ Lange, became the band’s breakthrough hit, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart.

1982 – Tommy Tucker (‘Hi-Heel Sneakers’) died of carbon tetrachloride poisoning while refinishing floors in his home.

1997 – Billy Mackenzie (singer/songwriter with The Associates – ‘Party Fears Two’) committed suicide with an overdose of prescription drugs.

1997 – Ron Holden (‘Love You So’) died of a heart attack.

2002 – Henry ‘Hank’ Crosby (saxophone with Motown’s Funk Brothers and producer for Stevie Wonder – ‘I Was Made To Love Her’ and ‘My Cherie Amour’) died of complications from cardiac bypass surgery.

2004 – Legendary New York nightclub The Bottom Line closed the doors forever at its Greenwich Village location.
Rock Factoid: Opened in 1974 by Allan Pepper and Stanley Snadowski, the club was forced to close after failed negotiations with its landlord, New York University. In its thirty year history, it was a showcase for anyone who was anyone in the music industry. For example, in just a three-month period in 1975, these artists all performed at The Bottom Line:
Jerry Garcia, Don McLean, Chambers Brothers, Turtles, Eric Burdon, Neil Sedaka, Hollies, Al Kooper, Miles Davis, Roger McGuinn, Bob Dylan, Beau Brummels, Jose Feliciano…and many, many more.

2011 – Bobby Poe (singer/songwriter with The Poe Cats – ‘Rock And Roll Record Girl’ and produced The Chartbusters’ ‘She’s The One’) died from a blood clot.

2011 – Robert Rozelle (bass guitar with Love – ‘With A Little Energy’) died in a car accident.

Compiled by Ray Lemire ©2016 RayLemire.com. All Rights Reserved.