ON This Day – Brittain Needs A Fascist Dictator! David Bowie
Apr 26, 2010 On This Day
On this day in 1976 Bowie gave an interview in which he said that Britain would benefit from having a dictator and that he would be good at it. He also said that Hitler was the first rock star and that Hitler drew more fans than Jagger. Then there were the stories about his Nazi salute, the detention of Bowie’s train (yes he had a train) as it crossed between Russia and Poland. Lots of Nazi memorabilia, books, etc. were confiscated.
So what was it with Bowie at the time?
Bowie had been interested in Buddhism for some time (yes, this is relevant, honest). From there he moved (descended?) into an interest in the Occult, accompanied by an ever growing consumption of cocaine.
From a general interest in the occult came painting mystic symbols on the walls of his house, burning candles, and reciting rites to protect him from the evil ones who were trying to get to him. He also began to retain his hair and nail clippings and urine in bottles in the fridge so that they could not be used in magic rituals against him. In other words serious chemical induced paranoia.
From there he became aware that the Nazis were heavily involved in the occult. (The idea that they hunted the Ark of the Covenant is not just an invention of the Indiana Jones film’s writer). It is this interest in the occult that drew him towards the Nazi symbolism. It is even possible that he got to Nazi symbols via an interest in the Kabala.
The quotes ? Not quite as they were reported at the time, it would seem, Yes he said that Britain would benefit from a dictator, a socialist none not a fascist one, he also said that he thought that he would be quite good at the job………. Hitler the first rock star? If you think of Hitler in the terms of the public rallies and adoration of the crowds, then yes, you could make some sort of comparison. However, you really have to be off your head on something to think that comparing Hitler with anything other than the spawn of the devil is a good idea.
So there you have it, paranoia, caused by ingesting the whole of Columbia’s export trade on his own, and spiralling interest in the occult, combined to encourage Bowie to make some outrageous comments and act as a cretin.
Mind you there were some upsides for Bowie. It would seem that the comments broke just before the Bowie tour reached England. Ticket sales were poor before the comments, sold out afterwards. Remember, he had previous for playing the media. There was the Hunky Dory tour, poor sales up until the “I’m Gay” interview in the music press and, hey presto!, tickets sales soar.
So, what is the truth? Probably, drugs and a descent into paranoia. If you do not inhabit your brain for a length of time you are likely to do some strange stuff.
As for the Nazi salute. I saw the clip some time ago and went to look at it again but it has been taken down on YouTube. However, there is an equally shocking clip featuring a Nazi salute by Ringo! (Or he may just be waving to his fan).
Tags: beatles, bowie, bowie's nazi salute, classic rock music, david bowie, On This Day, rock and blues, thin white duke
On This Day – Ladies and Gentlemen, I Give You The Nerk Twins!
Apr 23, 2010 On This Day
On this day in 1960 The Nerk Twins played a couple of gigs at the Fox and Hounds in Caversham. As these were the only bookings fulfilled by the Nerk Twins that in itself would merit an ‘On This Day’ mention, the more so that the location was the world famous Fox and Hounds.
However, the reason why there is some interest in the Nerk Twins was that they later became part of a local pub band called the Beatles. After the artistic peak of playing to 3 people in Paul’s cousin’s pub Paul and John took the almost precedented step of turning their back on fame for the obscurity of rock band mediocracy.
Tags: beatles, classic rock music, john lennon, love rock music, On This Day, paul mccartney, rock and blues, the beatles, the nerk twins
On This Day – Ravi is 90!
Apr 7, 2010 On This Day
Ravi Shankar celebrates his 90th birthday today.
Best known by the wider western world for his connection with George Harrison and the Beatles Ravi is a master of the sitar. He has received 3 Grammys, played with Yehudi Menuhin. He is a great performer, he is also a noted composer, teacher and writer. Certainly he has done more for Indian music than any other musician.
He began as a dancer touring Europe in his brother’s dance troop and did not start to study the sitar until he was 18. Apart from his music (as if that was enough) he was awarded India’s highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 1999, as well as serving in the upper house of the Indian Parliament.
I have been lucky enough to visit India a few times and have witnessed various types and stiles of music and performances from formal religious ceremonies to scratch bands playing together for the joy of music which we all share. The music is complex but accessable formalised but improvised, it has a religious basis but is secular in its appeal.
If you ever get the opportunity I urge you to listen to Ravi and to Indian music in general. You will love it!
Also check out tabla music….
Tags: beatles, george harrison, ravi shankar, rock and blues
On This Day – Max Sued
Jan 7, 2010 Uncategorized
On this day in 1970 Max Yasgur who owned the farm where Woodstock was sued by neighbours for damages caused by the rampaging hippies. The suits either totaled $25,000 0r $35,000. Eventually, they were settled. The finances of ‘Woodstock Ventures’ are a bit murky but it seems that although it was planned as a profit making venture (it only became a free concert after so many people turned up) but the some 80 lawsuits filed against them were paid from the profits of the film. The film also helped to settle their $1.4m debts.
The people who didn’t play Woodstock?
The Beatles, some say because the organisers would not also book
the Yoko Ono Band, some because Lennon could not get into the states because of visa difficulties.
The Doors because they thought it would not be worthy of them ‘a second class Monteray’.
Led Zepp ‘cos they did not want to be just another band on the bill.
Dylan was negotiating but his son became ill.
The Moody Blues decided to play a gig in Paris instead. That was either a really bad decision or an inspired one. Bad because of the loss of exposure good because more than most they relied on a good sound system when playing live and the sound at Woodstock was bad, very bad.
Missed opportunity?
Keef Hartley played Woodstock but did not make the film because their manager refused to give the rights away. Shame ‘cos KH was ‘my’ band in the 60’s and they deserved much better recognition.
Best way to experience Woodstock? Watch the film turn up the volume, sit in a tub of mud, and smoke your little smoke, drink your little drink, while I dance the night away…….(No FZ wasn’t there either)
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Tags: beatles, bob dylan, classic rock music, doors, john lennon, Keef Hartley, live music, moody blues, On This Day, rock and blues
On This Day – Stones In Harrow & The Beatles On US TV
Jan 6, 2010 On This Day
The Fab Four at their most Fab.......
Gawd knows what he would have made of the Stones.
They were embarking on their first tour in the UK on which they were the headliners having previously backed people like Bo Diddley, Little Richard and The Everly Brothers. This tie round they were supported by the Ronnettes (as was usual at the time a strange pairing it seems to me). Jack Paar may not have liked the Beatles’ hair Phil Spector did not like the Stones’ morals. He sent a telegram to the Stones warning to stay away from ‘his girls’. Mind you Ronnie of the Ronnettes was his wife at the time.
Apparently, the Stones ignored the telegram.
The tour started in the Harrow Granada, not the best venue they would ever play, but certainly not the worst. One notable thing from the tour was that the Stones stopped wearing their band uniform. One of the first bands to do so. These days it seems hard imagine that any band would wear a uniform, but it was the norm in those days. That they stopped wearing them enhanced their loutish, bad boy image. parents (mine included) hated them because of it. The kids (me included) loved them because of it (and the music, of course).
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Tags: beatles, On This Day, phil spector, real rock and blues, rolling stones, ronnettes
On This Day – I’m Not Dead, Honest.
Oct 22, 2009 On This Day
On this day in 1969 Paul McCartney said officially that he was not dead, unless the statement was issued by William Campbell after the surgery.
There had been persistent rumours that Paul had died in a car accident and that he had been replaced with a look-a-like called William Campbell.
The story begins on 9th November 1966 while the Beatles were working on Sgt. Pepper’s but things were not going well. In frustration Paul left the Abbey Road studios and jumped in his car. While driving he picked up a woman hitch hiker (called Rita). She became hysterical when she realised who he was and in the fracas that ensued he crashed the car. She was able to get out of the now burning car but Paul, sadly, died.
What happened then was a massive cover up. Local papers bribed, as were the police and ambulance services. In desperation to keep the Beatles’ brand alive Brian Epstein found William Campbell who had won a Paul Look-a-like competition. He was flown from Canada where he was living, given elocution lessons, plastic surgery, and taught to be left handed rather than right. Simple!
There followed years of lies and deceit. However there were clues. The Sgt. Pepper cover is full of clues; crashed cars, Shiva the destroyer pointing towards Paul, the wreath spelling out ‘Paul’, the open palm sign. In the gatefold Paul is wearing a badge that says ‘OPD’ which stands for ‘Officially Pronounced Dead’. It is all so obvious.
Look at ‘Revolver’. Who is the only Beatle not looking straight out of the cover? You’ve guessed it, Paul. Could that mean that the others are looking towards the future and Paul isn’t (‘cos he’s dead)? The open palm death symbol is there again.
Look at ‘Magical Mystery Tour’. On the back cover, how many band members do you see? (By the woman with the red dress one third of the way down) Five. Is the fifth, who looks like Paul, really William Campbell?
There is more. Remember that Paul was left handed and often said that there was nothing he could do about it, he could not ‘cure’ himself of being a lefty, and he had tried.
So, page 4 of the Magical Mystery Tour booklet with which hand is ‘Paul’ holding his wand? The right. During MMT film, the beginning of the ‘Fool on the Hill’ bit is smoking, using his right hand. During the same film the cast are on the bus, drunk and singing. In which hand does ‘Paul’ hold his beer bottle? His right.
‘Nuff said.
Tags: beatles, classic rock music, is paul dead, officially pronounced dead, On This Day, paul mccartney, rock and blues
On This day – The Beatles Hit our TV Screens
Oct 17, 2009 Uncategorized
On this day in 1962 The Beatles make it onto the small screen. They were on a local TV station “Granada” that broadcasts to the North West of England. The show is a local news programme with a magazine format called ‘People and Places’. On the programme they sang 2 songs live ‘Some Other Guy’ and ‘Love Me Do’. Sadly, there is no recording of the show or any of the other 4 appearances they made on local TV in 1962.
It now seems hard to believe that in 1962 singing 2 songs on a poxy little local TV show was a big deal for the Fab Four. 5 TV outings in 1962 then 30 in 1963, including their first on the BBC (13 April 1963, ‘625 Special’) things really began top pick up for the lads. By the way, their first appearance on US TV was not broadcast until 3rd January 1964. It was a performance of ‘She Loves You’ filmed by the BBC in August ‘64 and sold on to The Jack Paar Show.
Their second appearance on TV (for the same show) was recorded on 29th October and broadcast on 2nd November – by which time they were in Hamburg, for the second time.
Tags: beatles, beatles on tv, john lennon, On This Day, paul, paul mccartney, rock and blues
On This Day – Eleanor Rigby Is Dead!
Oct 10, 2009 On This Day
On this day in 1938 Eleanor Rigby died. She was 44 and died peacefully in her sleep. She is buried in the graveyard of St. Peter’s Parish Church in Woolton, Liverpool. It is close to where Paul and John first met 19 years later.
It would be nice to think that McCartney saw the gravestone on that fateful day and the name stayed with him. Not so, The original name used in the song was Daisy Hawkins.
Said McCartney in an interview about the album Revolver on which the song appears. “I was sitting at the piano when I thought of it. The first few bars just came to me, and I got this name in my head… ‘Daisy Hawkins picks up the rice in the church’. I don’t know why. I couldn’t think of much more so I put it away for a day. Then the name Father McCartney came to me, and all the lonely people. But I thought that people would think it was supposed to be about my Dad sitting knitting his socks. Dad’s a happy lad. So I went through the telephone book and I got the name McKenzie.”
In fact the name Eleanor Rigby came from a store in Bristol (Rigby & Evans Ltd) and Eleanor Bron a great British actress who appeared in Help!
Many people say that Eleanor Rigby was a seminal record from the use of a string octet to the sad and serious subject matter. None of the Beatles play on the track although there are harmonies from John and George (obviously, not only could Ringo not play according to Paul he could not sing either).
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Tags: beatles, classic rock music, eleanor rigby, real rock and blues, rock and blues
On This Day – John Lennon Born
Oct 9, 2009 On This Day, arrivals
John Winston Lennon joined this world today in 1940. As part of the Beatles he helped shape modern music writing some iconic songs. He worked for peace and against the Vietnam War. He was threatened with deportation from the USA by the Nixon administration, investigated by the FBI. He was murdered on 8th December 1980 by Mark David Chapman.
Lennon was raised by his aunt Mimi although he did have regular contact with his birth mother Julia. She bought him a banjo when he was 11 and taught him to play “Aint That A Shame” by Fats Domino. She also bought him his first guitar in 1957. His aunt Mimi was not in favour of his infatuation with music and did not share his faith that he would be famous one day and make a living out of music. Julia died after being hit by a car driven by an off duty policeman in 1958.,
Lennon had co-founded a skiffle group in 1956 which had him on banjo. Originally called The Blackjacks they changed their name to The Quarrymen (after the school that they attended) as another local group was using that name. Their repertoire consisted of Lonnie Donegan songs which they aired at parties, school dances and the like.
The whole local music scene was very fluid at this time with various lineups and personnel sitting in with other groups but the Beatles began to come together. When Paul McCartney joined The Quarrymen he insisted that George Harrison also join over Lennon’s objections that Harrison was too young. Later Stu Suttcliffe (bass) joined and suggested that they change their name to The Beetles, later The Silver Beetles and then to The Beatles. Their first recording was “That Will Be The Day” with “In spite of All the Danger” (by McCartney and Harrison) on the other side. The recording cost 17/6 (£0.77) and the one disc produced was passed around the band. It resurfaced in 1981 when McCartney bought it for an undisclosed amount.
Against Mimi’s vehement objections Lennon went with the other Beetles to Hamburg in 1960. That residency at Bruno Koschmider’s Indra club did not last long. The Beatles were deported back to the UK after a minor arson incident and it was discovered that Harrison was under age.
The Beatles went on to be the biggest band in the world, of course, but why should we celebrate Lennon’s birth? He was voted the 8th greatest Briton by BBC viewers (but then Dianna came 3rd…..), he was awarded an MBE (or was that an OBE – don’t know and don’t care). Helped to shape popular music and wrote some great rock and pop songs. But, what made him so great?
I think he together with, but perhaps more than, the other Beatles showed what was possible. In those days you went to school and then left to find a job, got married, had children, and then died. There were no other options, until we were showed otherwise. He was an inspiration for others, and surely that is as good as anyone’s life can get, there is nothing better.
My favourite Lennon song, I even like the Tin machine version (yes, I was the one person who bought that god awful album).
You know, I am not terribly happy with this post. My heart is not really in it. I don’t think that I have done JL justice, so much more than a member of the Beatles.
Perhaps it is just because it is 5.00am…….
Tags: beatles, classic rock music, john lennon, love rock music, rock and blues
On This day – Epstein Signs
Oct 1, 2009 On This Day
On this day in 1962 Brian Epstein (28 at the time) signed a management deal with the Beatles. John and Ringo were able to sign the contract as they were legally adults. Paul and George had to have theri dad’s sign on their behalf as they were still minors.
In return for managing them he was to get 25% of their earnings, as long as they made more than $400 a week – he may have made a few bob out of the contract……
Brian Epstein had previously worked in the family shop in Liverpool and had stints in both the forces and Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. He was not cut out to be either a soldier or an actor.
Returning to the shop he persuaded his parents to start selling records. The idea was so successful that they opened a record store. Epstein looked to tap into the local music scene by selling a Liverpool music paper called Mersey Beat starting with its first issue on July 6, 1961. He later contributed a column to the paper.
Becoming engaged with beat music Epstein heard a record made in Germany by Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers. It was not Tony Sheridan that interested Epstein however, it was the backing band. He asked people to listen the the record but ignore the singer and when he heard that the band were back in Liverpool and playing at the Cavern Club he had to go along to watch.
Alaister Taylor, Epstein’s assistant commented; “And it (The Cavern Club) was jammed solid, and we just sat at the back feeling rather embarrassed, and I suddenly realised my foot was tapping, and I hated pop music, and Brian hated it even more than me, and I looked ’round and so was his.”
“And after a while Brian started talking about it, and he said, ‘What did you think?’ And I said I thought they were awful, quite honestly, but absolutely incredible. So he said, ‘that’s exactly my feelings. Do you think I should manage them?’ And I said, yeah.”
Epstein said; “I hadn’t had anything to do with management of pop artists before that day that I went down to the Cavern Club and heard the Beatles playing, and this was quite a new world, really, for me. I was immediately struck by their music, their beat, and their sense of humour on stage. And even afterwards when I met them I was struck again by their personal charm. And it was there that really it all started…”
Tags: beatles, brian epstein, On This Day, rock and blues
