On This Day – Pipers Pipe
Aug 5, 2009 On This Day
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On this day in 1967 “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn” is released by Pink Floyd. This was the first album released by Pink Floyd and showcased Syd Barrett’s vision and songwriting talents.
Regarded by many as an even better realisation of the quintessential English psychedelia of the time that Sgt. Pepper this album strangely (for the time did) not include the singles already released by Floyd “Arnold Layne” and “See Emily Play”. There are some stand out tracks such as Astronomy Domine, Interstella Overdrive, and the transcendent Mathilda Mother. There is also one complete nonsense song Bike. To me the best track is the driving and sinister Lucifer Sam.
As I remember, although my memory is somewhat hazy of this time……….. one criticism of the album was that it did not reflect Floyd’s live performances. This is true but with this album Floyd were beginning a long journey.
At the time Floyd had no overseas presence and that would not come until some 5 years later after the departure of Syd Barrett. Syd’s mental health declined soon after this album was released and he finally left the band in 1968 being replaced by David Gilmour.
Tags: classic rock, classic rock music, On This Day, pink floyd, rock and blues, syd barrett
The Dead’s Last Gig
Jul 9, 2009 On This Day
On this day in 1995 The Grateful Dead gave their last concert before the death of Jerry Garcia at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Jerry was dead a month later of a heart attack. He was staying ata drug rehab clinic at the time.
Jerry Garcia was, for many, the heart of the band. He was a prodigious talent who started playing guitar when he was 15. He started hi own band (called Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions) and the basis of the Dead began to form. Along the way the band changed their name to The Warlocks and eventually to The Grateful Dead.
Although hugely popular as a live act on the West coast the Dead found themselves hugely in debt to Warners after 3 albums. Their saviour seems so obvious now but at the time was a revelation, a live album. ‘Live/Dead’ featured a 23 minute version of Dark Star and showed the whole world what the band was about.
To many, the epitome of the band was the release of American Beauty and Workingman’s Dead. To those who regard themselves as ‘true’ Dead fans there is nothing to compare to the gigs, and albums, whether live or studio were just pale imitations. The Dead tribe was formed.
While the very epitome of hippydom, the Dead were also consistantly one of the highest grossing live acts in the world. Even after JG’s death the music went on, this time in the exelent Dick’s Picks series of albums.
Tags: classic rock, Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia, On This Day, real rock and blues, rock music
Elvis’ Tooth Goes On Ebay
Jul 8, 2009 On This Day
On this day in 2003 one of Elvis’s teeth was listed on eBay, together with some hair and a gold record. The reserve price was $100,000.
Just how do you get a tooth without actually digging him up? Easy, you get the tooth from a man who got it from his dad, who happens to be the founder of the Elvis museum, and he in turn got it from from of Elvis’ old girlfriends….. I told you it was easy. Now why did she have tooth? Apparently, it was pulled after Elvis had an accident, but I have no idea what type of accident (or pulled by a dentist, depending on which story you want to believe).
The tooth, hair, and gold record failed to sell.
Tags: classic rock, ebay, elvis presley, love rock music
On This day – Brian Jones
Jul 3, 2009 Departures, On This Day
1969, is it really 40 years ago? Brian jones was found dead in his swimming pool.
He was the original guitatist with the Stolling Bones, arguably their best period – when they still played blues based rock. Jones’ influences were jazz and blues with him citing Elmore james, Robert Johnson (see my article Records that Changed the World, point proved),and Cannonball Adderley (yes Iknow he played sax), among others.
He left his native Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK in disgrace having got his 14 year old girlfriend pregnant. He spent sometime abroad before making his way to London.
It was Jones who placed the original advert in a local jazz newsletter for musicians that brought the Stones together. Ian ‘Stew’ Stewart (the Stone that who too old for their image but stayed and played with them for years, as an employee of the band I believe) was the first to respond. The others came over time, jagger introduced Richards (who brought his love of Chuckles Berry to the band) and finally Bill Wyman (who brought his Vox AC30).
Then there was Alexis Korner who helped the band and the rest is history.
By the time he died Jone was a shadow of his former self, a victim of LSD, uppers, downers, alcohol, and effectively ousted from his own band. He was found floating face down in the pool at his house in East Sussex. His then girlfriend claimed that he was alive when pulled from the pool but was dead by the time the ambulance arrived. There is a widely known story that he was murdered by a builder working on the house. There are stories of a death bed confession, witnesses that refuse to talk to the police, looting and thefts from the house after his death.
The truth will probably never be known for certain. One thing that we do know is that this man stated what was, for a considerable time, the best rock band in the world.
Tags: brian jones, classic rock, love rock music, On This Day, real rock
The Legacy of Sun Records (part 1)
Jul 2, 2009 About and things
Last night I got home from work late, as is normal, wanting nothing more than a meal and something mindless to watch on TV I began chanel hopping. There I cam across a programme called The Legacy of Sun Records. (Yesterday I noted the sale of Sun records by Sam Phillips,see here)
It was quite a good programme featuring interviews and performances of the second string acts signed to Sun by Phillips. Among those was the wonderful Sonny Burgess, now in his 70s he was interviewed and caught in performance supported byJerry Smith on keyboards and the amazing Ace Cannon on sax. He has more energy while singing on stage than many men half his age, and his voice the same power, but even more authority with the passage of time.
The upshot was an unexpected very late night hunting through CDs and records………..
Tags: classic rock, love rock music, sam phillips, sun records
On This Day – 1st July 1956 was a good day!
Jul 1, 2009 On This Day
On this day in 1956 Elvis sang on the Steve Allen show, for $5,000 – which was a lot for Elvis at the time. He sang Hound Dog which he recorded the next day. Naturally, his appearance was criticized by the critics and adults. Let’s face it, our parents never got rock ‘n’ roll – what is even sadder is that when those kids grew up and were parents they did not get their kid’s music either.
Also on this day an 11 year old Brenda Lee AKA Little Miss Dynamite (accept no imitations) signed her first recording contract on this day. I have a bit of a soft spot for Brenda Lee, as did my dad – which is the reason why I do. On the other hand he also liked Kathy Kirby who I thought then, and still do, was rubbish – with a capital Rub…..
Tags: brenda lee, classic rock, elvis presley, On This Day
