On This Day – Big Joe Turner Dies
Nov 24, 2011 On This Day
On this day in 1985 Big Joe Turner died. Sadly, he is little remembered today but he had a huge influence on the growth of Rock and Roll.
Born in 1911 Turner performed from 1920 until 1980. A Blues shouter he played with or on the same bill as many wonderful musicians such as Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Wynonie Harris. He recorded throughout his career but found real fame in the ’50s. Moving away from Jazz and Blues he was a pioneer of rock and roll. He is best remembered for writing and recording “Shake Rattle and Roll”. His, original version was a hit but eclipsed by Bill Haley’s version. BH’s version removed all the innuendoes of the original (Elvis used the original lyrics) and was not as raw and powerful as Turner’s.
More hits followed notably; “Well All Right,” “Flip Flop and Fly,” “Hide and Seek,” “Morning, Noon and Night,” and “The Chicken and the Hawk”. His influence has been hailed by many people including the NME when reporting his death in 1985 they referred to him as “the grandfather of rock and roll.
Later in his life he returned to Jazz and Blues performing until 1980. He died of a heart attack.
Tags: big joe turner, bill haley, billie holiday, Blues, classic rock music, elvis, elvis presley, love rock music, On This Day, real rock, real rock and blues, rock, rock and blues, rock music
On This Day – Blue Suede Shoes
Nov 19, 2011 On This Day, Uncategorized
On this day in 1955 one of the all time rock classics was recorded by Carl Perkins at Sun Records in Memphis. It later went on to reach number 2 in the US and number 10 in the UK. It has been covered by loads of artists including Elvis (also a Sun Recording artist) and John Lennon.
He had a very poor upbringing. The son of a sharecropper in Tiptonville Tennessee he started working in the cotton fields at the age of 6. He would often finish his school day and then work for several hours in the fields. This upbringing made him resilient and exposed him to Southern Gospel music, whether during regular worship on Sundays or while working in the fields as the black workers sang in the fields.
In what now seems to be almost trite his first guitar was home made cigar box and broom handle affair made by his dad. He learnt to play being taught by a 60 year old John Westbrook a fellow field worker who Carl referred to as “Uncle John”. The African American played Gospel and blues and instilled a love of music into a willing Carl.
Later the family moved to Madison County and so closer to Memphis and more musical influences. From the age of 14 Carl and his brother played in local bars (while still having day jobs in the fields). Gradually, his repertoire and confidence grew. In 1954 he auditioned for the great Sam Phillips of Sun Records. Later Phillips would say of Carl “I knew that Carl could rock and in fact he told me right from the start that he had been playing that music before Elvis came out on record… I wanted to see whether this was someone who could revolutionize the country end of the business.”
Records followed but the great success was “Blue Suede Shoes” recorded on this day in 1955 (or on 19th December depending on who you believe. Carl’s immortality was assured.
Perkins was the son of poor sharecroppers near Tiptonville, Tennessee.[3] He grew up hearing Southern gospel music sung by whites in church, and by black field workers when he started working in the cotton fields at age six. During spring and autumn, the school day would be followed by several hours of work in fields. During the summer, workdays were 12–14 hours,
1955, Carl Perkins recorded ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ at Sun Studios in Memphis. The rock ‘n’ roll classic became a US No.2 & UK No.10 hit for Perkins in 1956, and has been covered by many acts including Elvis Presley and John Lennon.
Tags: Blues, carl perkins, classic rock, classic rock music, elvis presley, john lennon, king of rockabilly, love rock music, On This Day, real rock, real rock and blues, rock, rock music, sam phillips, sun records
On This Day – Coz I Luv You
Nov 17, 2011 On This Day
On this day in 1971 “Coz I Luv You” hit the number 1 spot in the UK. It was Slade’s first number one and was followed by another 5.
Slade were a jobbing band in the West Midlands of the UK. After adopting a skinhead persona that was ill judged (skinheads had associations with football hooliganism and the far right) they dove head first into glam rock. There followed a series of UK hits directed by their manager Chas Chandler (Ex of the Animals and manager of Hendrix). Although they had a substantial following in the UK they never cracked the US despite moving to the USA in ‘75 and touring continuously.
They have been credited as being an influence on a number of bands including; Kiss, Queen, Poison, Def Leppard, Oasis (who covered “Cum On Feel the Noize”, Cheap Trick, Hot Leg, Twisted Sister, The Clash, The Undertones, Cock Sparrer, The Runaways and Girlschool.
Their influence was summed up in New Musical Express; “They embodied the glorious absurdity of the greatest pop, in the sideburns, the mirrored top hat and Dave Hill’s pudding bowl haircut. As such they were the simplest, most effective possible, riposte to prog rock’s bloated pretensions and pseudo-intellect.” (and I thought that Punk was the ultimate riposte).
So the positives (of which there are many) about Slade. Noddy Holder had a voice that was made for rock, it is certainly up there with Paul Rogers, Robert Plant, and any other rocker that you can think of. As a band they put on a great show, Dave Hill with the strangeness that always appeals in a lead guitarist. A solid rhythm section ensured that they were always straight on and never stumbled. Above all they revelled in good time rock and roll.
However, they were responsible for quite possibly the most annoying and down right gut wrenching single ever (followed closely by Kid Rock – but don’t get me started on him). I refer to, of course, that scourge of all who love rock -”Merry Xmas Everybody”. If ever a single should have been strangled at birth…………….
Tags: Blues, classic rock, classic rock music, Coz I Luv You, Dave Hill, Don Powell, Jim Lea, merry xmass everybody, Noddy Holder, On This Day, real rock, real rock and blues, rock, rock and blues, rock music, Slade
On This Day – Johnny and The Moondogs
Nov 15, 2011 On This Day
On this day in 1959 Johnny and The Moondogs played an audition for a talent show. Sadly they did not win.
Why should we be bothered about a failed band? Simply because they later became The Silver Beetles, then The Silver Beats and eventually The Beatles. It seems that Lennon took names seriously as The Beatles had some 8 names, including The Beatles (twice!).
Carroll Levis was Canadian born but moved to the UK to work for the BBC. In 1958 and 1959 he ran talent shows and the prize was to appear on either his radio or TV shows both called “Star Search” (some sources say it was called “Search for a Star”). The set up was that the acts performed and later reprised their act while the audience applauded. Using a clapometer it was decided which act was most popular and so the winner.
On 15 November 1959 (or possibly 26th November) The Quarrymen morphed into Johnny and the Moondogs for the talent show. Their line up was John, Paul, George, Colin Hanton (drums), and John Lowe (piano). The auditions took place in The Hippodrome Theatre, Manchester and the band turned up to play. However, they did not have enough money to stay overnight if they had progressed to the next heat and returned to Liverpool without knowing whether they has won or not (they didn’t).
There are several questions about this whole episode. The 15th November 1959 was a Sunday, would the theatre be open on a Sunday in those days? Possibly not. An alternative date given for their performance is the 26 November 1959. There is also some question as to what, if anything Lennon was playing at the time. There are reports that Lennon was singing but notplaying at this time. There are other reports that Lennon was indeed playing guitar, a Hofner Club 40. It is known that Lennon was playing this guitar a little later when the Quarrymen (they had changed the name back) played the Casbah club. This is the guitar that Lennon’s aunt Mimi bought for him. The photo above is from 1958 and shows Lennon without a guitar, but obviously that proves nothing. There are also reports that Lennon actually stole a guitar to play at the competition. (It has to be said that I was told that some time ago but I have not been able to corroborate this story).
So what do we know? The proto-Beatles took part in a talent show, did not win but did not give up. It is hard for us to look back now and appreciate the change that was happening to society. In post war Britain skiffle had roused something among the youngsters. They became enamoured of the energetic music that was coming from the States, then rock and roll took their desire to express themselves further. There were difficulties and deprivations but a generation was beginning to reject the old staid mores of their parents and the existing society. From such small beginnings………..
Tags: beatles, Blues, classic rock, classic rock music, Colin Hanton, george harrison, john lennon, John Lowe, johnny and the moondogs, love rock music, On This Day, paul Mcartney, real rock, real rock and blues, rock, rock and blues, rock music, the beatles
On This Day – Vince Martel Born
Nov 11, 2011 On This Day
On This Day in 1945 Vince Martel was born. He was the lead guitar player in a proto hard rock band Vanilla Fudge who recorded “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”.
The Fudge, formed in 1966 by Mark Stein and Tim Bogert were originally called The Pigeons. (There must be a series of posts about band’s original names that I can do). They then changed their name and were managed by a gangster related figure called Phillip Basile. (I should say that Basile was
-
allegedly
connected to the Luchese crime-familly).
Their biggest hit was “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” a reworking of the Supremes’ hit. Slowing it down and rocking it proved to be a success. While it only made number 67 in the USA it reached the 18th spot in the UK. It was also a forerunner in the growing hard rock movement. In fact during their 1969 US tour The Fudge had Led Zep supporting them!
The Fudge did many good covers, making the songs their own. There were covers of various Beatles’ songs and “Season of the Witch” a Donovan ditty.
Tags: Blues, classic rock, classic rock music, love rock music, Mark Stein, On This Day, real rock, real rock and blues, rock, rock and blues, rock music, Tim Bogert, vanilla fudge, vince martel, you just keep me hanin' on
On This Day – Tin Machine Play Cambridge
Nov 9, 2011 On This Day
OK, not really a red letter day for Rock but on this day in 1991 Tin Machine played the Corn Exchange in Cambridge, UK.
It was part of the It’s My Life tour and was the second version of Tin Machine (Eric Schermerhorn joined the band on guitar). Tin Machine was a strange animal. Fronted by Bowie it was a pretty decent rock outfit. Bowie had formed the band, actually he says that he did not form the band it sort of just coalesced. Bowie wanted time off from his solo career, which he felt had become too mainstream (some of us would say boring).
TM released 2 albums with some critical and commercial success. The highlight of the albums was glorious version of Working Class hero on the first album. OK, this whole post is my excuse for posting this clip……
Tags: bowie, classic rock, classic rock music, david bowie, love rock music, On This Day, real rock and blues, rock and blues, rock music, tin machine
On This Day – Eddie Cochran Has The Summertime Blues, in November!
Nov 7, 2011 On This Day
On this day in 1958 the Wonderful Eddie Cochran made the UK Charts with Summertime Blues, one of the classic rock songs that has been covered by many, many artists.
Sadly, EC died just some 2 years later. He was in a taxi with Gene Vincent and his girlfriend Sharon Sheeley when it left the road at Rowden Hill, Chippenham Wiltshire, UK. It seems that Eddie threw himself over his grlfriend to stop her being thrown out of the car when the door burst open. The next day he died of head injuries in hospital.
Dave Dee (of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick, Tich & rubbish) was a police cadet at the time and taught himself to play guitar on EC’s impounded Gretsch guitar. You may well know that earlier in the tour a young Mark Field carried the same guitar to EC’s car for him. Mark Field later changed his name to Marc Bolan.
Tags: classic rock, classic rock music, eddie Cochran, gene vincent, love rock music, On This Day, real rock and blues, rock and blues, rock music, sharon sheeley, summertime blues
On This Day – Elvis Slapped and Fights Back!
Oct 18, 2011 On This Day
“I’ll regret this day as long as I live. I guess lots of people were waiting for this kind of thing to happen. It’s getting where I can’t even leave the house without something happening to me.” (The New York Post, October 19, 1956)
So said Elvis after having an altercation with a Petrol station (gas station for those of you in the USA) on this day in 1956.
Elvis had pulled up to have a smell of petrol coming from his car checked and a crowd had grown round him, people asking for autographs and just plain gawking. The petrol station owner was not amused, no one was buying petrol. He asked Elvis to go away. Elvis stayed so Edd Hopper (the owner) slapped him upside his head. Elvis threw a punch and then an employee of the station Aubrey Brown joined in. The cops arrive and all 3 were arrested. Presley was bailed later in the day. Hopper and Brown were eventually fined $25 and $15 respectively.
All in all, not much of a fight and not much to make a fuss over. However, Elvis being Elvis the news of this minor altercation was featured in the national press. Rock hysteria was pretty new at the time and so was the feeding frenzy of the media. The judge said to Elvis “In the future you should take into consideration that you have a large following and should cooperate fully with business people in order to avoid disruptions.” Elvis said that he would, and left the court surrounded by young women. (Not a bad job being a rock star, there are certainly upsides)
This was not the end of Elvis being involved in altercations. November 1956 saw Elvis in a minor bar brawl over a woman, 1957 Elvis pulled a gun on a Marine in a dispute about a women. Something of a pattern developing there.
It would seem that Elvis was something of a scrapper when he was younger but there is nothing to suggest that he was a thug. being involved in fights would appear to be a reflection of the less than affluent area that was home to the young Elvis.
Tags: classic rock music, elvis, elvis presley, love rock music, On This Day, real rock and blues, rock and blues
On This Day – The Kinks Hit The USA, at Last!
Oct 17, 2011 On This Day
After a 4 year ban the inks started their second US tour on this day in 1969.
The origins of the ban have been said to be the rowdy behaviour of the band and their fans during the first tour in 1964. There was some comment that the ban was in some way connected to Mick Avory trying to kill Ray Davies on stage in Cardiff on 19th May ‘65 (He hit RD with his hi hat symbol stand. Avory then fled the stage thinking that he had killed RD).
the truth was more financial than physical, however. During the first tour the Kinks wanted to employ non unionised labour handling the lights and such As a result the American Federation of Musicians de-listed them – in affect banning them and the banned were not de-listed until’69.
It is true that the first tour was a rowdy affair, fights, manager trouble (their manager dumped them in LA and went off to promote Sonny & Cher in England). The concerts were also pretty dire, at least at the start of the tour. It is a shame that the ban was not about rowdy behaviour, it would have more of a ring to it rather than a rather grubby money thing. Shame.
Tags: classic rock music, kinks, love rock music, mick avory, On This Day, ray davies, real rock and blues, rock and blues, rock music
On This Day – Don’t Knock The Rock
Oct 12, 2011 On This Day
On this day in 1957 (no I don’t remember it) A film called “Don’t Knock The Rock” opened.
In the late 50s and during the 60s rock was regarded with suspicion (to say the least) by the establishment. As a consequence films trying to show the positive side of real rock and blues tried to make rock ‘comfy and non threatening. Some Hopes.
This film was in that tradition. The star was Alan Dale, and the plot is pretty flimsy. AD is a rock star who returns to his hometown to rest. He is dismayed to discover that the responsible adults have banned Rock & Roll in the local theatres. To show that Rock is a positive thing he enlists his friend Alan Freed to show that Rock is A Good Thing. Not so much the plot thickens as the plot sickens. Anyway, film makers wanted to cash in on Rock in those days and this type of rubbish plot was common.
I can not help thinking of some film in the 60s during which one of the characters shouts “Hey Kids! Why don’t we put on a show?” The kids then clean up an old theatre, put on the show, and prove that Rock is A Good Thing……. I ask you, urgh.
Back to Don’t Knock the Rock. It also included the usual suspects, Bill Haley, Little Richard, Dave Appell, and the Applejacks. Perhaps the most interesting of the acts to take part in the customary show in the film were The Treniers. They were a teen beat combo, as Zappa might have said, R&B when R&B was R&B. They recorded some fantastic stuff that certainly helped lay the foundations for Rock and Roll. Their Rock-A-Beatin’ Boogie still stands up. It was written by Bill Haley, but none the worse for that.
Tags: alan freed, Bill Haley & His Comets, classic rock music, love rock music, On This Day, real rock and blues, rock and blues, the treniers
