On This day – ‘Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy!
Aug 26, 2009 On This Day
On 18th March 1967* my friend Pete Sowter came up to me in school and handed me a single. “You must listen to this, it’s great!” he said (or something similar, it is 42 years ago). He also Said that he had no idea what it was about but the singer wanted to kiss a man, not something that was common on records in 1967.
Like thousands of others Pete had misheard the lyrics on one of the best singles ever released, one that is rightly now regarded as a classic. ‘Purple Haze’ by Hendrix was released and was a massive hit, in the UK, in the USA it only reached the mid 60’s in the Billboard chart. Once again proving that the UK was undoubtedly far ahead of the States when it came to music in the 60s. (Apart from Zappa, Lou, The Captain, It’s A Beautiful Day, etc………)
* I had it in my mind that Purple Haze was released on 26 August 1967 and that is why I started this entry. It was not until I had finished it that I checked the date, oops! Now that I think of it it could not have been August ‘cos I was in school when Pete gave me the single. In August school would have been on holiday. I must check some of the other ‘On This Day’ events that I have gathered into a schedule for future use. Either that or I could change to title to ‘On This Day, Probably’.
Anyway, it is a great excuse to show a great video.
Tags: classic rock music, jimi hendrix, On This Day, real rock and blues, rock and blues
On This Day – 2nd July
Jul 2, 2009 On This Day
Ralph Nader (serial presidential candidate, consumer champion, pain in the arse of car makers, general all round good guy in other words) warned us in 1969 that loud rock music would make us all go deaf. I SAID THAT LOUD ROCK MUSIC WOULD MAKE US ALL GO DEAF…..
I so want this to be true, James Marshall Hendrix was honorably discharged from the US army on this day in 1962 after nreaking his ankle on his 26th parachute jump. I want it to be true but there is quite a lot of evidence that Jimi’s departure from the army was less, well, honorable. A terrible Marksman, truant, subject of negative statements by his fellow soldiers, and he did not protest when it was suggested that he should be discharged. On the other hand, I never felt comfortable with one of my heroes being a model soldier.
What is reassuring is that one of the greatest guitarists ever (Zappa, Robert Quine, Rheihard, one of those is the best) could not hold a conversation while thinking about his guitar. Somethings are more important than being a soldier.
Tags: blues music, classic rock music, jimi hendrix, On This Day, real rock and blues
