On This Day – Bob Crashes
Jul 29, 2010 On This Day
On this day in 1966 Bob Dylan crashed his motorbike. Apparently he suffered serious neck injuries although their extent have never been fully confirmed. After the accident an ambulance was not called and was taken home in a car by his then wife Sara.
The crash, the circumstances of which were not fully explained, did have side benefits. Dylan was under a lot of pressure. The proofs for his book Tarantula were due for delivery, but not complete. He had been paid for a television special but it had not been recorded and after just finishing one tour another was already being planned.
After the crash his Bobness had time to analyze his direction, both personal and musically. He withdrew and did not tour again for 8 years.
Oops! Wrong video!
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Tags: bob dylan, classic rock music, love rock music, On This Day, real rock and blues
High Heels, Legwarmers, Bikini Pants – Yes Its Prince.
Jun 25, 2010 On This Day
On this day in 1984 the person that used to like to be known as an artist who once had a name before going a bit strange released a successful album. Purple Rain was the first album that acknowledged the band and called them the Revolution and supported the film.
Why the band was acknowledged on the album as prince played the vast majority of the parts on the album and the band was only ever a touring band I do not know, and could hardly care less to be truthful. Oddly this album was voted number 72 in the Rolling Stone list of top 100 albums. The album supporteed the film of the same name and both made suiddilians of dollars, so someone liked it…… but not me.
Tags: live music, love rock music, On This Day
EC beats Kiss hands down
Jun 24, 2010 On This Day
EC sold 100 of his guitars to raise money for his drug rehab clinic on this day in 1999. He raised almost $5,000,000
Kiss sold off some of their memorabilia on this day a year later in 2000. They raised $876,000. (first day of a 2 day sale).
I am no fan of EC but surely this does illustrate the gap between where he stands in popular culture and Gene Simmons’ position.
Tags: classic, classic rock music, love rock music, On This Day
Vamika – The Best band You’ve Never Heard (2)
Apr 28, 2010 The Best Band You've Never Heard
Well, you would not have as they have only played one gig so far with another lined up for 7th May at 9.00pm at The Pleasant Retreat in Lostock hall, Lancashire, UK.
However, they have previous. Until part way through 2009 they were Crimzon, a gigging band with a dedicated local following in this part of the country, and bloody good they were too.
My knowledge of them started a number of years ago. At that time I had a programme on a community radio station. One day a friend (Dave Sharples) sidled up and says ‘Phil, me and a couple of friends have recorded a few songs, what do you think?’
Now, the trouble with being given a home recorded CD is that they are usually crap, and you have to think of how to be polite when asked what you thought of it.
On this occasion I should have had no fears. They were good. In particular Dave had found a singer with a great voice, Amy Murrell.
Over a period of time I saw them often and had them in the studio a couple of times. During that time I saw their progress and witnessed Amy’s development and the growth of her confidence.
Then they went the way of all flesh……
Enter Vamika.
Vamika refers to the Hindu goddess Durga. Durga is a form of Devi (Hindu dieties and the relationship between them can seem quite complicated when you first investigate them). Devi is a supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having ten arms, riding a lion or a tiger, carrying weapons and a lotus flower, maintaining a meditative smile, and practicing mudras. Durga herself is said to be able to “redeem in situations of utmost distress”
Anyway, enough of the name the important thing is the music.
The band is;
AMY MURRELL Vocalist & Belly Dancer
DAVE SHARPLES Lead Guitarist
DAMIEN WELLMAN Bass Guitarist
JIM LEWIS Drummer
check them out at www.myspace.com/vamikarockband
Tags: amy murrell, dave sharples, love rock music, real rock and blues, rock and blues, vamika
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 – The Stones, Decadent and Awful!
Apr 13, 2010 On This Day
On this day in 1976 the Rolling Stones played 2 concerts in the Palace of Culture and Science building in Warsaw, Poland as part of their European tour. It was the first time the Stones had played behind the Iron Curtain. It was also the last tour that included Brian Jones.
The tickets were handed out to Communist Party members – apparently much to the surprise of the band. I think that the only surprising thing was that the band was surprised. Anyway, the audience was instructed on how to behave. It is true to say that visiting Soviet officials were not impressed with the show. They thought that the Stones were decadent and awful.
On their part, the Stones, fake surprise or not, drove round the streets to give away copies of their records to fans after the show. Whether this was a real gesture of protest or a rather good publicity stunt is not known.
It would be a long time before the Stones visited communist bloc countries again.
Tags: brian jones, classic rock music, love rock music, mick jagger, rock and blues, rolling stones, stones and poland
On This Day (Nearly) – Billy Fury Dies
Jan 28, 2010 On This Day
This is one that got away from me….On this day (yesterday) in 1983 Billy Fury died from heart and kidney problems. He was 42.
Billy Fury was almost unknown in the States but in the UK he was huge in the early 60s. In fact he had 24 hits in the UK charts in the 60s, equalling the Beatles’ record in the 60s. He also spent 332 weeks in the UK charts during that period. He was part of the early Mersey Boom of the 60s. His early performances were controversial and he had to tone down his on stage gyrations…….
His later life was dogged with ill health (he suffered from rheumatic fever as a child which laid the foundations for his later illness). He had major heart surgery in 1976.
Such was his contribution to music in the UK that there is a statue of Billy at the Albert Dock in Liverpool showing him in a typical on stage pose.
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On This Day – A Squid Eats Down Into a Polyethelene Bag
Jan 15, 2010 On This Day, arrivals
Yes, that’s right the Maskara Snake, on this day in 1941 the world of music saw the birth of a stone cold genius.
The ZigZag Wanderer himself, Don Van Vliet, made his appearance in Glendale California. The old fart was playing and the mothership was flying when, 28, years later the best album ever made hit our shelves (and has rarely been off my turntable or out of my CD player ever since).
Trout Mask Replica is unconditionaly guaranteed to amaze and delight you in your blue jeans under the moonbeams while the doc at the radar station watches a black bird eating ice cream and a man in a hat picks up his easel says goodbye and then walks down his yellow brick road. Its the same ol’ blues, again. Ella Guru sheds a tin teardrop and says that he was the one red rose that she meant.
Just Throwing This One In a Captain Tribute Band – And they ain’t Bad!
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On This Day – Zeppelin’s Debut, Probably.
Oct 25, 2009 On This Day, rock and blues
On this day in 1968 led Zeppelin played their first gig, probably. There is some confusion due to the short time that the band called themselves ‘The New Yardbirds’. Also, some internet sources quote the 15th October 1968 as being the first Zepp gig, but that appears to be an error. Jimmy himself presented a plaque to the University of Surrey to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the first gig – on 25th October.
Having completed a short Scandinavian tour as the New Yardbirds the band played a gig at The Marquee in London on 18th October and at Liverpool University on the 19th.
On the 25th the Jimmy’s band, now called Led Zeppelin made their live debut at Surrey University. The admission was an amazing 37.5p. Details of the set list are a bit shakey but given previous gigs it is likely that the set list included some Yardbird favourites such as Train Kept a Rollin’, Dazed and Confused, White Summer and likely For Your Love. New Led Zepp tunes were also played and would probably included Communication Breakdown, I Can’t Quit You Baby, You Shook Me, Babe I’m Gonna Leave You, and How Many More Times.
dazed and confused from 1969 before they became the world devouring mega band that ruled the world………..
By the way, this is a rare recording of the Yardbirds (with Jimmy) playing the ’same’ song. I know which has my vote….
And finally, Zepp just a few months after the first clip. What a band! That voice, Jimmy doing his stuff perfectly complimented by that bass and drums. Perfect!
The first magnificent album.
And the ‘difficult’ second album….
Tags: jimmy page, led zepp, led zepplin, love rock music, On This Day, rock and blues, surrey university, zepplin
On This Day – What a Week For Elvis!
Oct 19, 2009 On This Day
On this day in 1956 Elvis was involved in a fist fight. He had stopped at a petrol station in Memphis to get some petrol and was mobbed by teenagers. The petrol station manager wanted him to go away so that he could start selling petrol again. Tempers became frayed and the owner, Ed Hopper, hit Elvis on the head (You should not mess with a rock star’s hair!). Elvis, in turn, hit him in the eye. Hopper’s assistant, Aubrey Brown, went to help his boss and got much the same.
Ed Hopper brought charges but they were thrown out of court 4 days later as all the fans confirmed that Elvis did not start the fight. Hopper and his 6′4″ assistant were fined, and promptly sacked by the petrol station owner.
Three days after the petrol station episode Elvis went to the movies. Surprise, surprise, he was mobbed, again. This time the only damage was to Elvis’ car.
Perhaps Elvis should have realised that he could not just go out in public without attracting a crowd…. Only a month later Elvis was attacked again. This time by Louis Balint. His beef with Elvis was that his wife carried a photo of Elvis in her purse. Balint was fined for assault but as he was destitute he was sent to jail instead.
All in all, quite an eventful week for Elvis. Towards the end of the week Elvis got a his first letter from the draft board……………
Tags: classic rock music, elvis fighting, elvis presley, love rock music, On This Day, rock and blues
