Sunday 30 April 2017

Today in rock history 1st May

1956 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Heartbreak Hotel,” Elvis Presley. The song is Presley’s first No. 1 single. 1957 – Steve Farris, Mr Mister, is born 1966 – The Beatles play their last show for a paying audience in Britain at the NME Poll Winners’ Party. 1966 – Born on this day, Johnny Colt, The Black Crowes. 1968 – Born on this day, D’arcy Wretsky-Brown, bass, Smashing Pumpkins, 1969 – Jimi Hendrix is busted for narcotics possession at Toronto Airport. He is released on $10,000 bail. 1969 – Neil Young releases Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. 1969 – Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash videotape a special to appear on ABC. They play Dylan’s “I Threw It All Away,” “Living the Blues,” and “Girl From the North Country.” 1970 – In New York, Bob Dylan records with George Harrison. The two mess around on the Beatles’ “Yesterday,” Dylan’s “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues,” and “Da Doo Ron Ron.” 1973 – Bachman-Turner Overdrive release their self-titled debut album. 1975 – In one of their best-ever publicity stunts, the Rolling Stones announce their Tour of the Americas by playing “Brown Sugar” on the back of a flatbed truck driving down Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue. 1977 – The Clash begin their first tour of England at London’s Roxy. 1984 – Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac files for bankruptcy. 1993 – Supermodel Naomi Campbell announces her engagement to U2 bassist Adam Clayton. 1998 – Columbia Records presents Jeff Buckley’s posthumous set, “Sketches for `My Sweetheart, The Drunk,’” in its entirety during an online listening session. 1999 – An exhibition of Paul McCartney’s paintings, including a portrait of David Bowie, opens in Siegen, Germany. 2000 - Neil Young was sued for $1.8 million by Jimmy McDonough, a writer who claimed that Young had blocked the publication of an authorized biography that he spent several years working on. 2001 – “Touring Band 2000,” the first full-length DVD featuring Pearl Jam, is released. The three-hour disc features 28 live songs filmed in various cities during the band’s 2000 U.S. tour. 2005 – Nine Inch Nails close the Coachella Festival in California. Other performers during the day included New Order, The Bravery and Mos Def. 2005 – Bruce Springsteen’s Devils & Dust tops the U.K. album chart in its first week of release. 2005 – Matchbox 20 singer Rob Thomas went to No.1 on the US album chart with his first solo album ‘Something To Be.’ T 2009 – A Queen fan won a private two-hour guitar lesson with Brian May after bidding more than £7,500 at a charity auction in London. The auction was held in support of the Action for Brazil’s Children Trust, of which May is a patron.

Today in rock history April 30th

1948 - Wayne Kramer-guitarist for MC5 born today. 1965 – The Kinks begin their first U.K. tour. 1970 – Twiggs Lyndon, road manager with the Allman Brothers, is arrested on charges of murder after stabbing a club manager over alleged breach of contract. 1976 – The alleged date of a great Keith Moon story. The Who drummer reportedly pays several New York cab drivers $100 each. All they have to do is block either end of the block of his hotel. He then proceeds to empty his hotel room of its contents onto the empty street below. 1977 – Led Zeppelin play the Silverdome in Pontiac, Mich. The audience of 77,229 sets a new record for attendance at a single-act concert. 1980 – The film “McVicar,” starring Roger Daltrey and Adam Faith, premieres. 1983 – The original Manfred Mann, reunites for a London concert. 1983 - Muddy Waters dies 1988 – Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon drops out of the Billboard 200 chart for the first time in 725 weeks. It would be back. 1999 – Darrell Sweet, the drummer for Scottish rock group Nazareth, suffers a fatal heart attack as the band arrives at an amphitheater in New Albany, Ind., to begin the second leg of its U.S. tour. He is 51. 2002 - The Who’s Roger Daltrey made a guest appearance on the 100th episode of That 70’s Show as music teacher Mr. Wilkinson 2003 – AC/DC wannabes The Datsuns win Album of the Year, Export Gold Best Group, Outstanding International Achievement and Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the New Zealand Music Awards. 2004 – Courtney Love enters a formal plea of “not guilty” to two charges of felony drug possession in Los Angeles after turning up an hour late for her court appearance. 2005 – The Dave Matthews Band agreed to pay $200,000 (£105,000) after their tour bus dumped human waste on a boatload of tourists in Chicago in August 2004. 2008 – A giant inflatable pig which floated away during a Roger Waters concert was recovered in tatters in California. Two families from La Quinta who found what was left of the inflatable, decided to share four life tickets to the Coachella festival that were offered as part of the reward.

Friday 28 April 2017

Today in rock history 29th April

1935 – Otis Rush, one of the most intense and inventive guitarists of the post-War Chicago blues renaissance, is born in Philadelphia, Miss. Aerosmith, Eric Clapton, and Fleetwood Mac have covered his songs. 1938 - Klaus Voormann-bassist for Manfred Mann is born today. 1967 – Jimi Hendrix, The Walker Brothers, Engelbert Humperdink and Cat Stevens played two shows at Bournemouth Winter Gardens, England. 1968 – The musical “Hair” opens at the Biltmore Theater on Broadway. 1976 – Bruce Springsteen tries to climb over the fence at Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate in an attempt to see Presley. He is escorted off the premises by guards. 1980 – Black Sabbath begin their first tour with Ronnie James Dio as the singer. 1987 – A high school in South Beloit, Ill., moves up the time of its graduation ceremony to accommodate a Jovi Bon concert that the majority of its students are due to attend. 1988 – Eric Clapton and Patti Boyd, about whom he wrote “Layla” and “Wonderful Tonight,” file for divorce. 1993 – One of rock’n’roll’s preeminent guitarists and producers, Mick Ronson, 46, dies of cancer of the liver in London. Ronson, aside from his solo credits, is probably best known for his guitar work with David Bowie and with Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue. 1993 – Gilby Clarke of Guns N’ Roses breaks his hand in a motorcycle accident, leading to the cancellation of several live dates. 1998 – Steven Tyler sustains a knee injury at Aerosmith’s concert in Anchorage, Alaska. The injury is bad enough to require surgery and force the band to postpone the 14 remaining dates of its North American tour. 1999 – It is announced that drummer Tommy Lee has quit Motley Crue to devote time to his new band and family, following his reunion with Pamela Anderson Lee. Lee’s new band is called Methods of Mayhem. 2003 – A $5 million lawsuit against former Creedence Clearwater Revival leader John Fogerty was dismissed after a personal-injury lawyer claimed that he suffered hearing loss in his left ear from attending a Fogerty concert. The Judge said the plaintiff assumed the risk of hearing damage when he attended the concert in 1997. 2003 – Jack Osbourne, son of Ozzy, enters the Las Encinas rehab clinic in Pasadena. He had been suffering from insomnia and depression following the success of the The Osbournes TV show. 2003 – Pearl Jam buy a 1,400 square-mile area of rainforest in Madagascar to compensate for the 5,700 tons of greenhouse gas emissions they estimate their current North American tour with incur. 2003 – Great White play their first gig since a fire at one of their Rhode Island shows killed 100 people. The concert is to establish a scholarship fund for the son of Great White guitarist Ty Longley, who died in the fire. 2007 – Avril Lavigne was at No.1 on the US album chart with her third album ‘The Best Damn Thing’, also a No.1 on the UK chart. 2010 - As the June 15 release date approaches for Ozzy Osbourne's Scream - his first album in three years and 10th studio album overall–the album cover artwork and full track listing are revealed. 2010 – Rockers The Who fear they’ve taken their final bow – because they’re struggling to stage shows with Pete Townshend’s hearing problems. The 64 year old has suffered from partial deafness and tinnitus for many years.

Thursday 27 April 2017

Today in rock history 28th April

1945 – John Wolters, drums, Dr Hook, is born 1953 – Bassist, Guitarist & Vocalist Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth is born 1968 - Daisy Berkowitz, Marilyn Manson, is born 1973 – Pink Floyd’s album ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ goes to No.1 on the US chart on This Day in Rock. It spent a record breaking 741 weeks on the top 100 album charts selling over 20 million copies world-wide. 1978: Cheap Trick began a two night stand at the Budokan Arena in Tokyo where the concerts were recorded. Cheap Trick At Budokan was released the following year & went on to sell three million copies in the U.S. alone. 1981 – Steve Currie, T-Rex was killed in a car crash returning to his home near Vale de Parra, Algarve, Portugal. He was 33 years old. 1982 – The California State Assembly consumer-protection-committee, CSACPC, heard testimony from “experts” who claimed that when ‘Stairway To Heaven’ was played backward, contained the words: “I sing because I live with Satan. The Lord turns me off, there’s no escaping it. Here’s to my sweet Satan, whose power is Satan. He will give you 666. I live for Satan.” 1983 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Beat It,” Michael Jackson. Eddie Van Halen plays lead guitar on the tune. 1990 – Guns N’ Roses leader Axl Rose marries Erin Everly. 1999 – Shock rocker Marilyn Manson cuts short his concert in Des Moines, Iowa and abruptly walks off stage when he realizes someone stuck a large yellow “smiley face” on one of his stage props. The resulting rowdiness ends in 23 arrests. 2002 - Motley Crue singer Vince Neil allegedly attacked record producer Michael Schuman outside of the Rainbow Bar and Grill in West Hollywood, CA. Neil later pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of battery. 2005 – A concert by Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society in Boise, Idaho, is cancelled after the metal guitarist allegedly does some redecorating on the venue interior with a baseball bat. 2009 – The Advertising Standards Authority ruled that a TV commercial starring Iggy Pop believed to be misleading. Iggy exclaimed in the spot that he carried an insurance policy with Swiftcover claiming that the company carried musicians at the time of the ad. They did not.

Rock Talk – Geddy Lee

Part 1 1. Rush – The spirit of radio 2. Rush – Closer to the heart 3. Rush – Jacob’s ladder 4. Rush – New world man 5. Rush – Limelight Part 2 1. Rush – Fly by night 2. Rush – Tom Sawyer 3. Rush – A passage to Bangkok 4. Rush – YYZ 5. Rush – Time stand still

Timesweep 29th April

Part 1 Back to 1982 1. Genesis – Paperlate 2. Rick Springfield – Don’t talk to strangers 3. The Scorpions – No one like you 4. Peter Gabriel – Shock the monkey 5. Iron Maiden – Hallowed be thy name Part 2 1. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I love rock & roll 2. Judas Priest – You got another thing coming 3. Donald Fagen – I.G.Y. 4. Rainbow – Stone cold 5. John Mellencamp – Hurts so good 6. Van Halen – Oh pretty woman Part 3 Birthdays 1. Black Crowes – Hard to handle 2. Steppenwolf – Magic carpet ride 3. Foreigner – That was yesterday 4. Sex Pistols – Pretty vacant Part 4 1. S.A.H.B. – Boston tea party 2. Motley Crue – Dr Feelgood 3. Santana – Black magic woman 4. Green Day – When I come around Part 5 1. Black Sabbath – N.I.B. 2. Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – Hollywood nights 3. Hootie & The Blowfish – I only wanna be with you 4. Def Leppard – When love and hate collides Part 6 This week in rock history 1. Bachman Turner Overdrive – Let it ride 2. The Who – The acid queen 3. Aerosmith – Living on the edge Part 7 1. Jimi Hendrix Experience – Wind cries Mary 2. Crosby Stills Nash & Young – Ohio 3. David Bowie – The Jean Genie 4. Rolling Stones – Satisfaction Part 8 1. Foreigner – Feels like the first time 2. John Mellencamp – Hurts so good 3. Pink Floyd – Money Part 9 Playing games 1. Foreigner – Head games 2. Kansas – Play the game tonight 3. 3. The Ramones – What’s your game 4. Queen – Play the game Part 10 1. The Scorpions – Passion rules the game 2. Alan Parsons Project – Games people play 3. Yes – Your move/All good people Part 11 1. Crosby Stills & Nash – War games 2. Peter Gabriel – Games without frontiers 3. John Lennon – Mind games 4. Little River Band – Playing to win 5. Journey – Don’t stop believing

Brit Rock 29th April

1. ACDC – Rock or bust 2. ACDC – Thunderstruck 3. The Eagles – The last resort 4. Aerosmith – What it takes 5. Bruce Springsteen – Tougher than the rest 6. David Bowie – Starman 7. Dion – King of the New York streets 8. Little Richard – Lucille 9. The Kinks – Lola 10. Poco – Call it love 11. Paul McCartney & Wings – Nineteen hundred and eight five 12. Bachman Turner Overdrive – You ain’t seen nothing yet 13. Free – A little bit of love 14. Black Sabbath – Neon knights 15. Motorhead – Ace of spades 16. Pete Townshend – Let my love open the door 17. ACDC – Back in black 18. Judas Priest – Living after midnight 19. Ozzy Osbourne- Crazy train 20. The Scorpions – The zoo 21. Rush – The spirit of radio 22. The Pretenders – Stop your sobbing 23. Pat Benetar – Hit me with your best shot 24. Bon Jovi - Lay your hands on me 25. Lovin’ Spoonful – Darling be home soon 26. Del Amitri – Kiss this thing goodbye It’s an hour of acoustic rock for hour three 1. Foo Fighters – Times like these 2. Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking ball 3. Fairport Convention – Meet on the ledge 4. Lindisfarne – Lady Eleanor 5. Cat Stevens – Lady D’arbanville 6. Extreme – More than words 7. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Our house 8. Johnny Cash – One 9. U2 – All I want is you 10. Rory Gallagher – Wheels within wheels 11. David Bowie – Life on Mars 12. Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians – Circle 13. The Waterboys – Fisherman’s blues

Today in rock history 27th April

1947 – Badfinger’s Pete Ham is born in Swansea, Wales. 1948 – Kate Pierson of The B-52s is born in Weehawken, N.J. 1951 – Guitarist Ace Frehley (Paul Frehley) of Kiss is born in Brooklyn, N.Y. 1956 – Gene Vincent gets the call from Capitol Records, which tells the “Be-Bop-a-Lula” singer it wants to market him as its equivalent of RCA’s Elvis Presley. 1964 – John Lennon’s book In His Own Write is published in the U.S. Newsweek declares that the Beatles singer/guitarist is “an unlikely heir to the English tradition of literary nonsense.” 1966 – The Beatles finished recording the new John Lennon song ‘I’m Only Sleeping’ at Abbey Road studios London, England. 1969 -Joe Cocker makes his debut appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. 1969 – A court finds John Lennon’s erotic lithographs “unlikely to deprave or corrupt,” and his exhibition in London is reopened. 1975 – Pink Floyd played the last of a four night run at Los Angeles’ Sports Arena. A total of 511 fans were arrested over the four nights for possession of marijuana. 1976 – Customs officers on a train at the Russian/Polish Border detained David Bowie, after Nazi books and mementoes were found in his luggage. Bowie claimed that the material was being used for research on a movie project about Nazi propaganda leader Joseph Paul Goebbels. 1981 – Ex-Beatle Ringo Starr marries actress Barbara Bach. 1982 – Frank Zappa releases “Valley Girl.” Featuring the rantings of his daughter Moon Unit Zappa, the song would go on to become his biggest pop hit, reaching No. 32. 1990 – David Bowie claims he will play his old material for the last time on his current Sound + Vision tour, the American leg of which begins today. 1994 – The historic Fillmore club reopens in San Francisco. The opening acts include Smashing Pumpkins, Ry Cooder & David Lindley and American Music Club. 2003 – Iggy Pop reunites with the Stooges for the first time in decades on the closing night of California’s Coachella Festival. 2004 – Radiohead is forced to cancel its show in Melbourne after lead singer Thom Yorke develops severe problems with his voice. 2006 – Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards suffers a brain hemorrhage after falling out of a palm tree on the island of Fiji. The Richards family were on vacation. Doctors say the rock warhorse will need an operation to drain his skull. 2010 – Billy Corgan has launched a Twitter tirade against Courtney Love, who’s now known as Courtney Michelle. 2010 – A movie based on the life of Ozzy Osbourne is to go into production imminently.

Wednesday 26 April 2017

Today in rock history 26th April

1938 – Born on this day, Duane Eddy, guitarist, 1943 – Born on this day, Tony Murray, The Troggs 1960 – Filming begins on the Elvis Presley movie “G.I. Blues. 1964 – Phenomenal audience response as Beatles, Rolling Stones, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Brian Poole and Cliff Richard appear at NME poll-winners concert. 1965 – During a UK tour The Who appeared at Bridgewater Town Hall 1969 – During the bands second North American tour Led Zeppelin played the second of two nights at The Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco in California. 1978 – Ringo Starr stars in his first TV special in America – an updated version of Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper. 1982 – Rod Stewart is mugged and robbed of his $50,000 Porsche by a gunman in broad daylight on Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles 1982 – Meat Loaf played the first of four sold out nights at Wembley Arena, London. 1984 – Mike McCartney unveiled the £40,000 statue of The Beatles by John Doubleday at the new £8 million Cavern Walks shopping centre in Liverpool, England. John’s first wife, Cynthia, was also in attendance. 1986 Van Halen: 5150 US LP is no. 1 chart topper. 1990 – Nirvana appeared at the Pyramid Club in New York City. The bands label Sub Pop filmed the show and the performance of ‘In Bloom’ was later used as a promo clip. 1994 – Grace Slick pleads guilty to pointing a shotgun at police at her Tiburon, Calif., home on March 5. The former Jefferson Starship lead singer said she’d been under stress because her Mill Valley home had burned down the previous fall and she’d lost most of her memorabilia, 1995 – Courtney Love reportedly turned down an offer of $1m from Playboy to pose nude for the magazine. 2003 – David Lee Roth apprehends and detains a knife-wielding man he discovers trespassing on his Southern California estate. The former Van Halen frontman keeps the felon at bay with a shotgun. 2010 – AC/DC triumph in chart thanks to ‘Iron Man 2′ The rock band’s songs which are compiled in an album and used as the soundtrack to the Marvel movie is topping the U.K. Albums chart.

Tuesday 25 April 2017

Today in rock history 25th April

1923 – Albert King (US blues guitarist) is born this day. 1945 – Stu Cook (Creedence Clearwater Revival) is born 1950 – Steve Ferrone, drummer with the Average White Band and Eric Clapton, is born in Brighton 1958 – Chuck Berry’s Sweet Little Sixteen hits UK chart. 1964 – The Beatles have an amazing 14 singles on the American chart. 1974 – Jim Morrison’s widow, Pam, dies in Hollywood at the age of 27. Police suspect heroin use may have played a part in her death. 1974 – Rolling Stone reports that concerts by Yes, Gregg Allman, and the Beach Boys have all been hit by streakers, no doubt inspired by Ray Stevens’ No. 1 hit “The Streak. 1981 – Wings break up after Denny Laine leaves the band. Paul McCartney says he will carry on as a solo artist. 1987 – U2 replace Beastie Boys at top of US LP chart with The Joshua Tree. 1990 – The Fender Stratocaster on which Jimi Hendrix played “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Woodstock sells at a London auction for $295,000. 1993 – The Grateful Dead gather around one of their own, saying they will help pay for artist Stanley “Mouse” Miller’s liver transplant. Miller created the band’s distinctive skull-and-roses logo. 1994 – The Eagles played the first of two shows where they recorded their ‘Hell Freezes Over’ album. 1994 – A judge sentences Beastie Boy Adam Horowitz to 200 hours’ community service after he beats up a TV cameraman during River Phoenix’s funeral. 1997 – U2’s ‘Pop Mart’ world tour kicked off at The Las Vegas San Boyd Stadium in front of 35,000 fans. The tour featured the largest video screen in the world and would visit 80 cities around the planet. 1997 – Warren Haynes and Allen Woody quit the Allman Brothers Band to tend to their careers as Gov’t Mule. 2000 – Eric Clapton is reunited on a TV stage in London with his former Derek & the Dominos keyboard player Bobby Whitlock, for their first performance together in 29 years. 2003 – Jim Morrison’s parents sue the Doors 21st Century – made up of Ray Manzarek ,Robbie Krieger and The Cult’s Ian Astbury – claiming their U.S. tour “maliciously misappropriated” the name and logo of the original Doors lineup. 2004 – Piano man Billy Joel drives his car into a house in Long Island. Nobody is seriously injured. It’s his third car crash in two years. 2005 – Bruce Springsteen kicks off his solo “Devils & Dust” tour in Michigan, at Motown’s Fox Theatre. 2010 – Starting this week, Amazon.com will stream a new single from the upcoming self-titled Stone Temple Pilots album.

Monday 24 April 2017

Today in rock history 24th April

1945 - Doug Clifford-drummer for Credence Clearwater Revival is born 1947 - Glenn Cornick-bassist for Jethro Tull is born this day. 1954 - Jack Blades-bassist for Night Ranger and Damn Yankees is born this happy day. 1961 – Bob Dylan earns a $50 session fee playing harmonica on Harry Belafonte’s “Midnight Special.” 1963 – Born on this day, Billy Gould, Faith No More. 1965 – The Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride” goes to No. 1 on the U.K. chart. Manager Brian Epstein writes to Melody Maker to point out that Paul McCartney performs the lead guitar on the record. 1967 – Born on this day, Shannon Larkin, drummer, Ugly Kid Joe. 1967 – Born on this day, Patty Schemel, Hole. 1968 – The Beatles new company Apple Records turned down the offer to sign new artist David Bowie. 1968 – Born on this day, Aaron Comess, drums, The Spin Doctors. 1969 – Paul McCartney publicly denies rumours that he is dead. 1970 – Grace Slick and Abbie Hoffman leave a White House party without having dosed young Tricia Nixon with LSD as planned. The Jefferson Airplane singer was invited to the bash by Tricia, and took along the outlaw Hoffman as her date. Hoffman was turned away at the gate. Slick went with him. 1971 – Crosby Stills Nash & Young went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘4 Way Street.’ 1974 – David Bowie releases Diamond Dogs. 1975 – Badfinger’s Pete Ham commits suicide by hanging himself in his London garage. 1975 – While on tour in Florida, Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan quit the New York Dolls. 1976 – The British pop paper Sounds features a two-page spread on promising newcomers the Sex Pistols. 1976 – Led Zeppelin scored their sixth UK No.1 album with ‘Presence’, also No.1 in the US. 1976 – Paul and Linda McCartney spent the evening with John Lennon at his New York Dakota apartment and watched Saturday Night Live on TV. Producer of the show Lorne Michaels made an offer on air asking The Beatles to turn up and play three songs live. Lennon and McCartney thought about taking a cab to the studio, but decided they were too tired. This was the last time Lennon and McCartney were together. 1989 – Tom Petty releases his first solo album, Full Moon Fever. 1990 – While preparing Roger Waters’ ambitious production of The Wall at the Berlin Wall, workers discover an unexploded bomb from the World War II era. 1992 – In Switzerland, David Bowie marries his second wife, Iman. 1993 – Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young unite for the sixth edition of Farm Aid. This year it’s held in Ames, Iowa. 1998 – Douglas Springsteen, the mill hand and ex-prison guard who inspired his son Bruce’s songs “Adam Raised a Cain,” “Independence Day,” “My Hometown,” “Mansion on the Hill” and “My Father’s House” dies in Belmont, Calif. 2002 - A judge rules that Courtney Love will not have to undergo a psychiatric evaluation as part of her legal struggle with Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic over control of Nirvana’s recordings. 2003 – The White Stripes perform their cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” on Late Night With Conan O’Brien. 2007 – Aides to George Bush were told they couldn’t book a luxury five star hotel suite because Mick Jagger had already booked it during The Rolling Stones current world tour. 2013 – 3 Doors Down cancels tour due to bassist Robert Todd Harrell’s arrest.

Sunday 23 April 2017

Today in rock history 23rd April

1936 – Roy Orbison is born in Vernon, Texas. 1960 – Steve Clark (Def Leppard) is born. 1969 – Famous Ash Grove, Los Angeles (home of Canned Heat and Taj Mahal) burns to the ground. 1975 – Badfinger’s Pete Ham commits suicide by hanging himself in his London garage. 1978 – Sex Pistols bass player Sid Vicious filmed his version of ‘My Way’ for the Sex Pistols’ film ‘The Great Rock n Roll Swindle.’ 1981 – Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins give a live performance in West Germany that is later released as the LP “The Survivors.” 1983 – David Bowie started a three week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with the Nile Rodgers produced ‘Let’s Dance’, featuring the title track which made No. 1 on the US and UK singles chart and ‘China Girl.’ 1988 – Iron Maiden: Seventh Son of a Seventh Son US LP is no. 1 chart topper. 1988 – Roy Orbison celebrated his 52nd birthday at a Bruce Springsteen concert, during which the audience sang happy birthday to him. 1991 Johnny Thunders dies from a drug overdose in New Orleans. The former New York Doll was 38. 1994 – Pink Floyd,The Division Bell is US no. 1 chart topper. 2003 – Bruce Springsteen defends the beleagured Dixie Chicks, who suffered a backlash after criticizing George W. Bush. In a statement, he declares, “To me, they’re terrific American artists expressing American values by using their American right to free speech." 2003 – Twisted Sister announce they are reforming to do a tour of military bases in Korea. 2003 – Former head Hole member Courtney Love places an ad in New York’s Village Voice looking for new band members. “We like Emily the Strange, Lolita Goth, Patty Schemel’s drumming, Nuggets and ‘Performance’ the Movie,” it reads. “We love Flea but don’t want you to play like him. We start NOW. NO BOYS.” 2004 – Green Day issue a statement to counter a widespread rumour that frontman Billie Joe Armstrong has died . “Despite what you may have heard rumoured on the Internet,” the band say, “Billie Joe did not recently die in a car accident.” 2010 – Ozzy Osbourne will release Scream – his first album in almost three years and 10th studio album overall – June 15th via Epic Records. 2010 – Poison frontman Bret Michaels is in critical condition from a brain hemorrhage after being rushed to an undisclosed hospital after complaining of a severe headache.

Today in rock history 22nd April

1950 – Peter Frampton is born in Beckenham 1951 – Paul Carrack is born today in Sheffield, England. He has sung with Ace, Squeeze, and Mike & the Mechanics. 1963 – Gene Vincent’s recording contract with Capitol expires. His last recording is a remake of Be-Bop-A-Lula. 1965 – Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde LP released in the US. 1969 – John Lennon and Paul McCartney record “The Ballad of John and Yoko.” 1969 – John Lennon changes his middle name from Winston to Ono. 1969 - In Dolton, England, the Who perform their rock opera Tommy live in its entirety for the first time. 1972 – Deep Purple: Machine Head UK LP is no. 1 chart topper. 1974 – Tina Turner starts filming in the role of Acid Queen in the Who’s film “Tommy.” 1978 – Johnny Thunders plays a surprise gig at London’s Speakeasy, backed by a band featuring Sex Pistols Paul Cook and Steve Jones. 1979 - The Rolling Stones perform two benefit concerts for the blind in Toronto to fulfill terms of Keith Richard’s sentence for heroin trafficking. 1998 – It is announced that Faith No More has decided to break up. 1999 – Marilyn Manson releases a statement on the Columbine High School shootings. “It’s tragic and disgusting anytime young people’s lives are taken in an act of seneseless violence,” he says. “My condolences go out to the students and their families.” 2004 – It’s reported that U.S. Marines are blasting ‘s “Shoot to Thrill” at high volumes to drive Muslim insurgents from their homes in Iraq. 2004 – Metallica quashes an Internet rumour that James Hetfield committed suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills. “Contrary to what you may have read on message boards,” say the band, “James Hetfield is alive and doing extremely well.” 2007 – Avril Lavigne went to No.1 on the UK album chart with her third album ‘The Best Damn Thing’, also a No.1 on the US chart. 2008 – Whitesnake‘s new album, “Good To Be Bad”, was released. 2008 - Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora pled no contest to one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of alcohol. Sambora received three years probation. 2008 – It was revealed that 60’s singer Tommy Steele took Elvis Presley on a secret tour of London in 1958 after Presley struck up a friendship with Steele.

Thursday 20 April 2017

Today in rock history 21st April

1947 – Punk rock pioneer Iggy Pop (James Jewel Osterburg) is born 1959 – Robert Smith of the Cure is born in Sussex 1961 – The Beatles debut at the Cavern Club in Liverpool 1963 - The Beatles and The Rolling Stones meet for the first time during a Rolling Stones performance at Crawdaddy Club. ‘We got all nervous’, says Bill Wyman, ‘but then we had a chat with them afterwards and stayed up all night rapping and became really good mates.’ 1967 – Working at Abbey Road studios in London, The Beatles completed the sessions for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The final recordings were a short section of gibberish and noise which would follow ‘A Day in the Life’, in the run-out groove. 1969 – Janis Joplin and the Kozmic Blues Band play London’s Royal Albert Hall. 1970 – Tyrannosaurus Rex, Spooky Tooth, Jackie Lomax, Elton John (making his solo concert debut) and Heavy Jelly all appeared at The Roundhouse, London, tickets cost 25 shillings. 1973 – Alice Cooper went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Billion Dollar Babies.’ Also a No.1 album in the UK. 1978 – Folk singer Sandy Denny dies at age 31 after falling down a flight of stairs. You can hear her on Led Zeppelin IV‘s “Battle of Nevermore” and with her band Fairport Convention 1981 – A car crash in Seattle hospitalizes Eric Clapton with bruised ribs and a lacerated shin. 1982 – Joe Strummer disappeared for three weeks, which resulted in The Clash cancelling a tour. He was found living rough in Paris. 1990 – Fleetwood Mac scored their fourth UK No.1 album with ‘Behind The Mask.’ 1990 – Paul McCartney played in front of 184,000 fans at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, creating a new world record for the largest crowd attending a rock concert. 1993 – Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann saves a young surfer from a California riptide. 1993 – Former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman marries the 33-year-old Suzanne Accosta in the south of France. 1994 – Courtney Love turns in the shotgun Kurt Cobain used to kill himself to a guns-for-tickets trade-in program. 2001 – R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck is arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport for allegedly assaulting two crew members on an overnight flight from Seattle to London. 2004 – California rockers Hoobastank top the American singles chart with “The Reason.” 2005 – Onstage in Asbury Park, N.J., Bruce Springsteen takes a stand against hunger by donating all of the proceeds from a tour rehearsal show to World Hunger Year. 2007 – Doris Richards died of cancer. The 91-year-old mother of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards bought her son his first guitar for his 15th birthday.

Rock Talk - Iggy Pop

Part 1 1. The Stooges - Search and destroy 2. Iggy Pop - Lust for life 3. The Stooges - 1969 4. Iggy Pop - Real wild child 5. The Stooges - Gimme danger Part 2 1. Iggy Pop - Candy 2. Iggy Pop - Nightclubbing 3. Iggy Pop And Debbie Harry - Well did ya evah 4. The Stooges - I wanna be your dog 5. Iggy Pop - The passenger

Timesweep 22nd April

Back to 1975 1. The Eagles - One of these nights 2. David Bowie - Fame 3. Kiss - I wanna rock and roll all night 4. Pink Floyd - Wish you were here 5. Rainbow - 16th century greensleeves 6. Bad Company - Feel like making love Part 2 1. Bob Dylan - Tangled up in blue 2. Aerosmith - Sweet emotion 3. The Who - Squeeze box 4. Led Zeppelin - Houses of the holy 5. Nazareth - My white bicycle Part 3 This week in rock history 1. Alice Cooper - Billion dollar babies 2. Bob Dylan - Rainy day women 3. Deep Purple - Highway star Part 4 1. Badfinger - Baby blue 2. Tom Petty - Running down a dream 3. Van Halen - Why can't this be love Part 5 Rocker's celebrating their birthdays 1. Iggy Pop - The passenger 2. Peter Frampton - Show me the way 3. Def Leppard - Hysteria 4. Judas Priest - Breaking the law Part 6 The law 1. Judas Priest - Breaking the law 2. Eric Clapton - I shot the sheriff 3. Bobby Fuller 4 - I fought the law 4. Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak 5. Saxon - Strong arm of the law 6. The Who - Happy Jack Part 7 Turning back time 1. Steely Dan - Reelin' in the years 2. Skid Row - I remember you 3. The Beatles - Get back Part 8 A look back to 1981 1. Foreigner - Urgent 2. Rush - Tom Sawyer 3. Journey - Who's sorry now Part 9 Parts of the body 1. Jackson Browne - Doctor my eyes 2. THe Eagles - Lying eyes 3. Billy Idol - Eyes without a face 4. Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the sky Part 10 1. ZZ Top - Tush 2. Sum 41 - Fat lip 3. Georgia Satillites - Keep your hands to yourself 4. Bon Jovi - Lay your hands on me Part 11 1. Rod Stewart - Hot legs 2. Rod Stewart - Hot legs

Brit Rock 22nd April

1. Black Sabbath - Heaven and hell 2. Faith No More - Epic 3. Sammy Hagar - No worries 4. Tom Petty & The Hearttbreakers - Into the great wide open 5. Fleetwood Mac - Don't stop 6. The Baby's - Isn't it time 7. The Ellipsis - Elsewhere 8. Jo Jo Gunne - Run run run 9. Ides Of March - Vehicle 10. Journey - Lovin', touchin', squeezin' 11. Ozzy Osbourne - Flying high again 12. Queen - Innuendo 13. The Doors - Love me two times 14. Status Quo - Something 'bout you baby I like 15. Styx - Best of times 16. Gillan - New Orleans 17. ACDC - For those about to rock 18. Foreigner - Juke box hero 19. Genesis - Abacab 20. Journey - Who's crying now 21. Rainbow - Can't happen here 22. The Who - You better you bet 23. Blue Oyster Cult - Joan Crawford 24. Motorhead & Girlschool - Please don't touch Hour three is pure classic hard rock 1. Guns 'N' Roses - Welcome to the jungle 2. ACDC - Back in black 3. Led Zeppelin - Whole lotta love 4. Black Sabbath - Paranoid 5. Metallica - Enter sandman 6. Dio - Holy diver 7. Foo Fighters - Everlong 8. Scorpions - Coast to Coast 9. Kiss - Rock and roll all night 10. Iron Maiden - The wicker man 11. Deep Purple - Burn 12. Nirvana - Come as you are 13. Stiltskin - Inside

Today in rock history 20th April

1945 - Jimmy Winston-keyboardist for The Small Faces born this day. 1948 - Craig Frost-keyboardist for Grand Funk Railroad and Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band debuts upon the earth. 1966 – During a 12 hour session at Abbey Road studios in London The Beatles worked on a new John Lennon song ‘And Your Bird Can Sing’’, and a new George Harrison song ‘Taxman’. 1967 – During a UK tour, Pink Floyd appeared at the Queen’s Hall in Barnstable. 1968 – Deep Purple makes its live debut in Denmark. 1970 – Traffic, Mott The Hoople, If and Bronco all appeared at The Roundhouse, London, tickets, 25 shillings. 1971 – Born on this day, Mikey Welsh, bass, Weezer. 1985 – The charity record ‘We Are The World’ by USA For Africa was at No.1 on the UK singles chart. 1991 – Credence Clearwater Revival founder John Fogerty marries Julie Lebiedzinksi in Bristol, Ind. 1991 – Steve Marriott dies in a fire at his home in Essex, England. Aged 44. He was a guitarist and lead singer for the rock bands Small Faces and Humble Pie. 1992 – ‘A Concert For Life’ took place at Wembley Stadium as a tribute to Queen singer Freddie Mercury and for aids awareness. 1996 – Tickets ranging in price from $27.50 – $85.00 go on sale for the KISS reunion tour. This marks the first time in 15 years that all four original members of the ’70’s rock group join together in original costume and face paint. 1999 – The “No Security” tour, the Rolling Stones’ first arena outing in 20 years wraps with a make-up date at the San Jose Arena in California. 2000 – Robert Plant appeared at Disney’s Theatre of the Stars in Orlando, Florida to leave his handprints outside the theatre. 2001 – A memorial concert for former Small Faces and Humble Pie front man Steve Marriott took place at the London Astoria with Peter Frampton, Midge Ure, Chris Farlowe and Humble Pie. 2002 – In the dispute over who owned the rights to Nirvana’s recordings former members Dave Grohl and Kirst Novoselic asked a Seattle Court to prove that Courtney Love was mentally stable. 2011: Judas Priest guitarist and founding member K.K. Downing announced that he was leaving the band citing differences with management and the band. 2012 – Bert Weedon, guitarist who wrote ‘Play in a Day’ died today at 91.

Wednesday 19 April 2017

Today in rock history 19th April

1942 – Born on this day, Alan Price, keyboards, The Animals, 1947 – Born on this day, Mark Volman, The Turtles 1965 – The film T.A.M.I. (Teen-Age Music International) Show featuring The Rolling Stones, Supremes Four Tops, James Brown, The Beach Boys and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles opened in London, England under the title Teenage Command Performance. 1967 – Jimi Hendrix, The Walker Brothers, Engelbert Humperdink and Cat Stevens, played two shows at The Odeon, Birmingham. 1968 – John Lennon, George Harrison and their wives left the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram in Rishikesh, India two weeks before their study was complete. Ringo and Paul had already left. 1980 – Brian Johnson 32 year old singer with Geordie joined AC/DC replacing Bon Scott who had died after a drinks binge. 1990 – On this weeks’ BBC- TV’s ‘French and Saunders’ show, Mark Knopfler, David Gilmour, Lemmy, Mark King (Level 42), and Gary Moore all appeared in a comedy courthouse sketch. The sketch ended with all the guitarists jamming together. 2000 – Phil Collins won £250,000 in a high court case over royalties with two former members of his band. The judge ruled that they had been overpaid in error but because the two musicians had no other income they would not have to pay it back. 2001 – David Lee Roth reveals that he briefly reunited with Van Halen in July and wrote some “astonishing” music. 2002 – The body of Layne Staley, singer of the grunge rock group Alice In Chains, is found by a relative in Staley’s North Seattle apartment. Staley had been missing for two weeks. 2003 – At their Montreal concert, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band are joined by Max Weinberg’s daughter Allie on keyboards. 2004 – Billy Corgan plays his first-ever solo acoustic show in his Chicago hometown at the Metro. 2012 - The Band drummer & singer Levon Helm died of throat cancer at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. He was 71 years old.

Tuesday 18 April 2017

Today in rock history 18th April

1940 - Mike Vickers -guitarist and saxophonist for Manfred Mann born today. 1946 – Lead vocalist Skip Spence of Moby Grape is born in Windsor, Ontario. 1964 – The Beatles appeared on the UK TV comedy program The Morecambe and Wise Show, playing ‘This Boy’, ‘All My Loving’, and ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ 1970 – Appearing at London’s Royal Albert Hall, Santana, Taj Mahal and It’s A Beautiful Day. 1970 – Born on this day, Greg Eklund, drums, Everclear 1974 – Born on this day, Mark Tremonti, Creed 1992 – Albums by Def Leppard, Bruce Springsteen and Wynonna debut in the top four spots on Chart Toppers’s pop album chart. 1995 – Oasis drummer Tony McCarrol was told by phone that he was being sacked from the group. 1981 - Yes announced that they were breaking up. Bassist Chris Squire & drummer Alan White began rehearsals with Jimmy Page for a project to be called XYZ which never materialized. Yes later reunited the following year. 2002 – Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan returns to his roots when he is inducted into the Hall of Honour at his old high school. Bryan is a 1980 graduate of John P. Stevens High School in Edison, N.J. 2004 – Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker opens a franchise of the popular restaurant chain Wahoo’s Fish Taco in Norco, Calif. 2006 – A sale of clothes belonging to Sir Elton John raised more than $700,000 (£395,000) for the singer’s Aids charity. 2012 – Dick Clark dies at age 82.

Today in rock history April 17th

1934 – Rock promoter Don Kirshner is born. 1940 – Billy Fury is born in Liverpool, 1955 – Fats Domino’s Ain’t That a Shame released in US 1955 – Pete Shelley, one of punk’s finest songwriters and lead Buzzcock, is born. 1964 – Leading the band Them, an 18-year-old Van Morrison rocks the Maritime Hotel, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the group’s debut performance. 1969 – The Band step out from behind Bob Dylan for the first time to perform solo at San Francisco’s Winterland auditorium. 1970 – Paul McCartney releases his first post-Beatles solo album, McCartney. 1982 – Iron Maiden’s The Number of the Beast hits No. 1 on the British albums charts. 1983 – Felix Pappalardi dies at age 41 after being shot by his wife in their New York apartment. 1995 – After Bill Berry’s operation for a brain aneurysm, R.E.M. announce they will resume their worldwide Monster tour. 1995 – Courtney Love and her band Hole perform for the sixth season premiere of MTV’s Unplugged. 1998 – Linda McCartney, the rock photographer wife of Sir Paul McCartney and onetime member of the band Wings, dies of breast cancer in Santa Barbara, Calif. She is 56. 2001 – The late Ramones singer Joey Ramone is buried in New Jersey following a private funeral service in Forest Hills, Queens. 2002 – James Al Hendrix, who introduced his son, guitar legend Jimi Hendrix, to music, dies after a long battle with congestive heart failure. He is 82. 2003 – A British fan who claims he caught the flu off of Beatle. Paul McCartney attempts to auction off the germ on eBay. 2003 – Tommy Lee is cleared of responsibility for the drowning death of a four-year-old at his son’s 2001 birthday party. The boy’s parents were alleging criminal negligence and sought $10 million in damages. 2004 – Kurt Cobain’s right-handed 1960’s Mosrite Gospel Mark IV guitar sells at an auction for $117,500. 2006 – Melissa Etheridge announces her partner Tammy Lynn Michaels is expecting twins later in the spring. Etheridge has two other children by another woman. 2008 - E Street Band organist Danny Federici died of melanoma at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. He was 58 years old. 2013 – Ted Nugent’s anti President Obama quotes go down badly

Sunday 16 April 2017

Today in rock history April 16th

1947 – Gerry Rafferty is born in Paisley, Scotland 1956 – Buddy Holly’s first single ‘Blue Days, Black Nights’, was released. 1963 – The Beatles perform on BBC TV for the first time on The 625 Special. 1964 – David Pirner (Soul Asylum) is born 1964 – The Beatles filmed the “chase scenes” for A Hard Days Night with actors dressed as policemen in the Notting Hill Gate area of London. 1967 – Cream appeared at the ‘Daily Express Record Star Show’ at The Empire Pool, Wembley, England. 1972 – Electric Light Orchestra makes its live debut at the Greyhound Club in Surrey, 1973 – Paul McCartney appears in the TV special James Paul McCartney with his wife, Linda, and his band Wings. 1974 – Queen play their first American concert at Denver’s Regis College. 1976 – Aerosmith played at the Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, the first date on their 76 date North American Rocks Tour. 1990 – At London’s Wembley Stadium, artists including Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, Simple Minds, and Tracy Chapman take part in a musical celebration of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison. 1990 – Nirvana appeared at Lee’s Palace in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 1993 – Billy Burnette announces he’s leaving Fleetwood Mac. He wants to concentrate on recording country music. 1993 – David Lee Roth is busted by police after allegedly buying marijuana in New York’s Washington Square Park. 1999 – Skip Spence, a pioneering psychedelic musician who was a founding member of Jefferson Airplane and Moby Grape dies 2003 – Hole’s Courtney Love announces the title of her first solo album will be America’s Sweetheart. 2003 – Jerry Lee Lewis filed for divorce from his sixth wife, Kerrie McCarver Lewis. 2012 – “I’m absolutely devastated,”Rod Stewart said. “Shattered that I’m going to miss my second induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – and this time alongside my mates.”In a joint statement with Stewart, Hall of Fame organizers said Faces will still play a short set at Saturday’s ceremony with Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall replacing Stewart on vocals for the band that in the 1970s scored hits such as “Stay With Me.”

Saturday 15 April 2017

Today in rock history 15th April

1927 – John Lennon biographer and Professor Longhair liner-notes author Albert Goldman is born. 1944 – Guitarist Dave Edmunds is born in Cardiff. 1964 – The Beatles filmed outside shots at the Scala Theatre in Tottenham Court Road, London for their forthcoming movie ‘A Hard Day’s Night.’ 1966 – UK music press announces there’ll be no new Beatles film for the time being. Producer Walter Shenson says, ‘We’ve turned down everything from The Beatles in the Army to The Beatles Meet Elvis’. 1966 – Appearing live at the Blackpool Odeon, Jimi Hendrix, The Walker Brothers, Cat Stevens and Engelbert Humperdink, 1967 – Born on this day, Frankie Poullian, bass, The Darkness. 1971 – Rolling Stone announces that the Illinois Crime Commission has compiled a list of “drug-oriented rock records.” The list includes Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” and Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” 1975 – Appearing at Stanley Theatre in Pittsburgh, Kiss, Rush and the Heavy Metal Kids. 1977 – Lynyrd Skynyrd give a gold album for One More for the Road to Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson. The band donates another gold record to Atlanta’s Fox Theatre, where the double live album was recorded. 1982 – Billy Joel breaks a wrist when his motorcycle and an auto collide. He is hospitalized and has surgery. 1996 – Jerry Garcia’s ashes are scattered near San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. A portion of the remains of the Grateful Dead guitarist had already been deposited into the Ganges in India. 2001 – Punk pioneer Joey Ramone (Jeffrey Ross Hyman) singer of The Ramones died after losing a long battle with lymphatic cancer aged 49. 2003 – Heartland rocker Melissa Etheridge announces she’s become engaged to her partner of two years, actress Tammy Lynn Michaels. 2003 – Fleetwood Mac release their album Say You Will. The disc reunites the band with AWOL songwriter Lindsey Buckingham, but vocalist Christine McVie opts to sit this one out. 2004 – ‘Frisco noisemakers Black Rebel Motorcycle Club announce they have left their label Virgin. Robert Turner says, “This is actually the greatest day in our band’s somewhat short history.” 2004 – Courtney Love is ordered by a Los Angeles judge to stand trial for two counts of drug possession. Love appears in court with a copy of The 48 Laws of Power and tells the judge she will be “on tour” the date of her next hearing. 2007 – Acts appearing at the Quilmes Rock festival at River stadium in Argentina included, Aerosmith, Velvet Revolver, Placebo, Keane and Evanescence.

Friday 14 April 2017

Today in rock history 14th April

1945 – Ritchie Blackmore, of Deep Purple and Rainbow, is born in Weston-Super-Mare. 1955 – Fats Domino releases “Ain’t That a Shame.” 1963 – The Beatles are introduced to the Rolling Stones for the first time backstage in Richmond. George Harrison says he’s particularly impressed by the unsigned band’s performance. 1965 – The Beatles announce that the title of their second film has been changed from Eight Arms to Hold You to Help! 1967 – David Bowie releases his novelty single “The Laughing Gnome.” Using music hall stylings and a sped-up voice, the song becomes a hit only in 1983. 1969 – Led Zeppelin enter the English albums chart with their self-titled debut in its third week of release. 1974 – Pete Townshend performs solo for the first time at London’s Roundhouse. He’s backed by tapes he made in his home studio. 1980 – A resolution is introduced in the New Jersey Assembly to make Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” the official state song. The resolution fails to be passed. 1980 – Pete Townshend releases his solo album Empty Glass. 1983 – Pete Farndon of the Pretenders dies at the age of 30. 1994 - Nirvana singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain was cremated at the Bleitz Funeral Home in Seattle. One third of Cobain’s ashes were later scattered in the Wishkah River in Washington, one third were scattered in a Buddhist temple in New York & the rest are with Courtney Love. 1997 – Ringo Starr debuts as the host of the VH1 program Classic Albums. 2004 – Courtney Love tells Blender magazine that she’s been swindled out of $40 million “by a fiduciary institution.” An insider says she is in debt to the tune of $4 million. “I’m covered in loser dust,” she wails. 2006 – The Beatles announce plans to digitally remaster their back catalogue and sell it online. 2008 - Queen guitarist Brian May was inducted into Liverpool John Moores University as the university’s fourth Chancellor. 2009 – George Harrison receives a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 2010 – Tom Petty tells Playboy “There are no record people left in the record business; now it’s some guy who used to be with the leased-car department and got a promotion. Or maybe he was an accountant and now he’s a record-company president. And he hires more accountants and leased-car men”.

Thursday 13 April 2017

Rock Talk - Jeff Lynne

Part 1 1. ELO - Showdown 2. ELO - Mr Blue sky 3. ELO - Turn to stone 4. ELO - Living thing 5. The Beatles - Free as a bird Part 2 1. ELO - Telephone line 2. ELO - Bluebird 3. Jeff Lynne - Every little thing 4. Travelling Wilbury's - End of the line 5. ELO - 10538 overture 6. Tom Petty - Yer so bad

Timesweep 15th April

Part 1 We commence back in 1976 1. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - American girl 2. ACDC - It's a long way to the top 3. Thin Lizzy - The boys are back in town 4. Rainbow - Stargazer Part 2 1. Kiss - Detroit rock city 2. Queen - Good old fashioned lover boy 3. Peter Frampton - Show me the way 4. Rolling Stones - Fool to cry 5. Bob Dylan - Hurricane Part 3 This week in rock history 1. Fleetwood Mac - Dreams 2. David Lee Roth - Yankee rose 3. Paul McCartney - Every night 4. Melissa Etheridge - Bring me some water Part 4 This week's birthdays 1. Stealers Wheel - Stuck in the middle 2. The Buzzcocks - What do I get 3. The Animals - House of the rising sun 4. T-Rex - Get it on Part 5 This week in rock history extra 1. Def Leppard - Have you ever needed someone so bad? 2. Elton John - Saturday night's alright for fighting 3. ACDC - For those about to rock Part 6 Back to 1980 1. Pat Benetar - Hit me with your best shot 2. Rolling Stones - Emotional rescue 3. The Eagles - The long run 4. Pink Floyd - Another brick in the wall Part 7 1. Genesis - Turn it on again 2. Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy train 3. Billy Joel - It's still rock and roll to me 4. John Lennon - Just like starting over Part 8 1. Bruce Springsteen - Hungry heart 2. Supertramp - Dreamer 3. Saxon - Wheels of steel Part 9 It's a look at unrequieted love 1. Rick Springfield - Jessie's girl 2. Jim Capaldi - Love hurts 3. J Giels Band - Love stinks 4. Stranglers - Walk on by Part 10 1. Joan Jett - I hate myself for loving you 2. REO Speedwagon - Can't fight this feeling 3. The Police - Every little thing she does is magic 4. Def Leppard - Photograph Part 11 1. Nelson - (I can't live without your) love and affection 2. Meatloaf - Two out of three ain't bad

Brit Rock 15th April

1. John Mellencamp - Hurts so good 2. Scorpions - No on like you 3. Van Halen - Oh pretty woman 4. Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the sky 5. Don Henley - Dirty water 6. Asia - Only time will tell 7. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - I love rock & roll 8. Split Enz - I got you 9. Status Quo - Dear John 10. Mastodon - Show yourself 11. Dan Paltanski - Sonnova faith 12. The Wild Things - Tell me why 13. Steve Miller Band - Take the money and run 14. John Fogerty - Rock and roll girls In hour two I'm joined by Martin Turner from Wishbone Ash 15. Wishbone Ash - Changing tracks 16. Martin Turner - Written in the stars 17. Wishbone Ash - The king will come 18. Wishbone Ash - Time was 19. Wishbone Ash - Blowin' free 20. Wishbone Ash - Leaf and stream 21. Wishbone Ash - Blind eye 22. Wishbone Ash - Helpless 23. Wishbone Ash - Throw down the sword Hour three and it's tracks from concept albums released in the 1980's 1. Queensryche - Mind of a stranger 2. Iron Maiden - Seventh son of a seventh son 3. ELO - The way life's meant to be 4. Rush - The big money 5. Kate Bush - Cloudbusting 6. Styx - Mr Roboto 7. Marillion - Heart of Lothian 8. Pink Floyd - Comfortably numb 9. Genesis - Duchess 10. Genesis - Duke's end

Today in rock history 13th April

1944 - Jack Casady-bassist for Jefferson Airplane is born today. 1945 – Guitarist Lowell George of Little Feat is born. 1951 - Max Weinberg-drummer for The E Street Band born 1962 – The Star Club opens in Hamburg, with the Beatles as its house band. 1964 – The Beatles announce that the title of their first film is A Hard Day’s Night. 1966 - Marc Ford-guitarist for The Black Crowes enters the earth. 1967 – The Rolling Stones give their first performance behind the Iron Curtain. Warsaw, Poland’s Palace of Culture. Police use tear gas to subdue 2,000 fans. 1969 - The king of rock, Dominic Forbes is born. 1971 – The Rolling Stones released ‘Brown Sugar’ the first record on their own label, Rolling Stones Records, which introduces the infamous licking- tongue and lips logo. 1973 – Roger Daltrey releases first solo LP, produced by Adam Faith, entitled Daltrey. 1974 – Wings: Band on the Run: US LP is no. 1 chart topper. 1979 – Dave Lee Roth collapses from exhaustion onstage in Spokane, Wash., during a Van Halen concert. 1982 – David Crosby is arrested on charges of drug possession in Dallas. It’s the second time in three weeks he’s been busted in the Texas city. 1993 – The first ‘Aerosmith Day’ was observed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts after the band were given their very own holiday. 1996 – Rage Against The Machine appeared on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Their two-song performance was cut to one song when the band attempted to hang inverted American flags from speakers. 1999 – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers release their album Echo. 2003 – The Beatles Apple Corp company was listed as Britain’s fastest profit-growth firm with an annual profit growth of 194%. 2007 – Julian Lennon sold a “significant” stake of his share in the songs his father John wrote for The Beatles to US music publishing company Primary Wave. 2010 - RogerWaters.com states that “more dates, including shows in Europe, will be announced in the near future”. 2012 - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers had five of their guitars stolen from the Soundstage in Culver City, CA where they were rehearsing for a tour.

Tuesday 11 April 2017

Today in rock history 12th April

1944 – John Kaye (Steppenwolf) is born this day 1954 – Joe Turner releases his rendition of “Shake, Rattle and Roll.” 1954 – Bill Haley & His Comets’ first session for Decca Records produces “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock.” 1955 – Fats Domino releases “Ain’t That a Shame.” 1963 – Bob Dylan performs a solo concert at New York’s Town Hall. It’s recorded by CBS for a planned live album, but the disc is never released. 1967 – Mick Jagger was punched in the face by an airport official during a row at Le Bourget Airport in France. Jagger lost his temper after The Stones were being searched for drugs resulting in them missing their flight. 1967 – Country Joe & the Fish perform at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park on the eve on a Vietnam War protest march. The next day 100,000 people would march to Kezar Stadium to hear Vietnam vet David Duncan speak. 1968 – Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention play the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences dinner in New York. Zappa tells the audience, “All year long you people have manufactured this crap, now for one night you’re gonna have to listen to it!” 1972 – The Rolling Stones release Exile on Main Street. 1973 – The film ‘That’ll Be The Day’, premiered in London, featuring David Essex, Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, Billy Fury and Dave Edmunds. 1975 – David Bowie announced his second career retirement, saying, ‘I’ve rocked my roll. It’s a boring dead end, there will be no more rock ‘n’ roll records from me.’ 1975 – During a North American tour, Pink Floyd played the first of two nights at The Cow Palace, Daly City, San Francisco, California. 1979 – Mickey Thomas joins Jefferson Starship, replacing founding member Marty Balin. 1990 – The Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Centre announced that Asteroids 4147-4150, would be named Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr after the four members of The Beatles. 1992 – Don Henley leads 6,000 people in a Walk for Walden Woods in an effort to preserve the Massachusetts wild commemorated by Henry Thoreau. 1993 – Actress Lisa Bonet filed for divorce from Lenny Kravitz 2000 – Members of Metallica filed a suit against Napster, Yale University, The University of Southern California and Indiana University for copyright infringement. 2010 - The Vatican has finally made peace with the Beatles, saying their drug use, “dissolute” lives and even the claim that the band was bigger than Jesus are all in the past — while their music lives on. 2011 – The Foo Fighters’ release Wasting Light.

Today in rock history 11th April

1957 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “All Shook Up,” Elvis Presley. 1961 – Bob Dylan has his first live performance in New York at Gerde’s Folk City, where he opens for bluesman John Lee Hooker. 1964 – The Beatles set a new chart record when they had 14 songs on the Billboard Hot 100. 1965 – Performing at the New Musical Express poll winners concert, at London’s Wembley Empire Pool, England, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Tom Jones, Freddie and the Dreamers, The Animals, The Kinks, Herman’s Hermits, Moody Blues, Them, Cilla Black, The Seekers and Donovan. 1970 – Peter Green quit Fleetwood Mac while on tour in Germany, to avoid breach of contract he agreed to finish the current tour. 1970 – Paul McCartney announces he will not record with John Lennon again. 1981 – Musician Eddie Van Halen marries actress Valerie Bertinelli of TV’s “One Day at a Time.” 1983 - Metallica fired original guitarist Dave Mustaine due to Mustaine’s alcoholism, drug abuse & personality clashes with the rest of the band. Mustaine later went on to form Megadeth. 1991 - Ringo Starr became the first living member of The Beatles to make a guest appearance on The Simpsons. Starr asked to be animated the way he was in Yellow Submarine because he didn’t like his appearance in The Beatles cartoon series. 1992 - Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson & British comedian Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean reached number nine on the U.K. Singles Chart with a cover of Alice Cooper’s “Elected” which was recorded for the U.K.’s charity organization Comic Relief. 2002 – Former Mrs. Tommy Lee, Pamela Anderson says yes when bad-boy musician Kid Rock proposes to her in the desert outside Las Vegas. 2002 – Hard rocking acts Staind, Godsmack, and Aerosmith take home two prizes each at the 15th annual Boston Music Awards at Boston’s Orpheum Theatre. 2008 - Rush kicked off the third and final leg of their Snakes and Arrows Tour in support of their eighteenth studio album of the same name in San Juan, PR at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico. It was the first time Rush had ever played Puerto Rico. 2008 - Members of Velvet Revolver start work on new material without vocalist Scott Weiland. 2011 – Yesterday, Bob Dylan plays a concert in Vietnam.

Monday 10 April 2017

Today in rock history 10th April

1959 – Swingin’ hepcat Brian Setzer is born on New York’s Long Island. 1962 -Original Beatle Stuart Sutcliffe dies in Hamburg after collapsing. His artistic ideas and close friendship with John Lennon had a lasting influence on the band. Sutcliffe’s picture appears on the cover of Sgt. Pepper. 1967 - Paul McCartney visits a Beach Boys recording session and is said to have loaned his production assistant to the track “Vegetables” for the Smile album. 1968 – Drummer Mickey Hart accepts an invitation from Bob Kreuztmann to join the Grateful Dead. 1970 – In England, Paul McCartney announces that he is no longer going to play with the Beatles on the eve of releasing his first solo album, McCartney. John Lennon was disgusted because Paul talked him into staying when he tried leaving 6 months earlier. Paul wanted to be the first to leave. 1970 – Jim Morrison asks a concert audience if they would like something belonging to him that rhymes with “sock.” Fortunately, Ray Manzarek carries him off stage before he can find what he’s alluding to. 1976 – UK music weekly The Melody Maker reviewed a Sex Pistols gig with the words, ‘I hope we shall hear no more of them.’ 1976 – Peter Frampton’s Frampton Comes Alive! tops the album chart, where it will remain for the next 10 weeks. 1982 – Iron Maiden scored their first UK No.1 album with ‘The Number Of The Beast.’ 1992 – Axl Rose leaves town before a Chicago sheriff can arrest him for allegedly starting a riot at a St. Louis Guns N’ Roses show in the summer of 1991. GNR cancel their shows in Chicago and Detroit. 1998 – Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland married Heather McMillan, the honeymoon was spent visiting amusement parks across the country. 1999 – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers are the musical guests on tonight’s Saturday Night Live. 1999 – George Michael, Sinead O’Connor, Chrissie Hynde, and Paul McCartney all perform at Here There and Everywhere: A Concert for Linda, a charity tribute to Linda McCartney held at London’s Royal Albert Hall. 2001 – Bruce Springsteen won a court battle to keep the rights to his early songs. Ronald Winter of Masquerade Music had released the album ‘Before The Fame’ was found to be in breach of copyright. Springsteen was awarded more than £2m damages. 2003 – The Rolling Stones cancel their Bangkok gig after a technical hitch with their plane leaves them stranded in Bombay. 2003 – Billy Joel and Elton John postpone their Face to Face concert date in Rosemont, Ill., after Joel falls ill. 2005 – Final episode of The Osbournes was aired on MTV in the UK. The show reached a peak audience of eight million at it’s height during a three year run, Ozzy was at a loss to explain its popularity, saying, “I suppose Americans get a kick out of watching a crazy Brit family.

Sunday 9 April 2017

Today in rock history 9th April

1932 - Carl Perkins born today. 1956 – Gene Vincent records “Be-Bop-a-Lula.” 1958 – Bill Haley & the Comets begin a tour of South America in Buenos Aires. 1963 – The Beatles appeared live on the ITV show Tuesday Rendezvous, miming ‘From Me to You’ and ‘Please Please Me’ 1964 – Capitol Records wins the rights to distribute the Beatles’ recordings in the U.S. from VeeJay. 1964 – Rolling Stones make their first live national UK TV appearance, on Ready, Steady, Go. 1965 – Rolling Stones’ dress sense attacked by E.M. Roberts, a Welsh headmaster, who is particularly critical of corduroy trousers. 1966 – Jeff Beck collapses onstage while the Yardbirds are playing France. 1967 -The Who begins a six-day season at Brian Epstein’s Saville Theatre, with Jimi Hendrix on the bill. 1969 – King Crimson performs at the Speakeasy in London 1969 – Emerson, Lake and Palmer perform their first concert at the Speakeasy, London. 1970 – Paul McCartney announces his “break with the Beatles” in a typed statement enclosed in copies of the solo album McCartney sent to the British press. 1970 – Pink Floyd kicked off their second North American tour at The Fillmore East, Manhattan, New York City. 1973 – Newly signed to EMI Records, Queen played a showcase gig for their new record label at the Marquee Club, London. 1974 – Bruce Springsteen is introduced to Jon Landau, a rock critic who would later become his manager and help produce Born to Run. 1977 – Born on this day, Gerard Way, vocals, My Chemical Romance, 1980 – Born on this day, Albert Hammond Jr, guitar, The Strokes. 1984 – R.E.M. release their second album, Reckoning. 1989 – Rolling Stone Bill Wyman announced his forthcoming marriage to 19-year old Mandy Smith. He revealed the couple had been dating for six years 1990 – Billy Idol releases his single “Cradle of Love.” 1994 – Pantera : Far Beyond Driven : US LP is no. 1 chart topper. 1994 – Pink Floyd : The Division Bell : UK LP is no. 1 chart topper. 1997 – A&M Records releases a statement saying that Seattle grunge hit-makers Soundgarden have decided to disband. 2004 – Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil pleads no contest to charges that he assaulted a prostitute at the Moonlite Bunny Ranch brothel in Nevada. The judge fines him $1000 and orders him to complete anger management courses in 60 days. 2012 – Ronnie Wood, guitarist for the Rolling Stones, opens an art exhibition in New York’s Soho.

Saturday 8 April 2017

Today in rock history 8th April

1947 – Born on this day, Steve Howe, guitarist, Yes, 1962 – Born on this day, Izzy Stradlin, guitar, Guns N’ Roses. 1963 – Julian Lennon (John Charles Julian Lennon) is born in Liverpool. 1966 – Mike Vickers leaves Manfred Mann. ‘Permanent’ replacement named as Jack Bruce. 1972 – Written after the ‘Bloody Sunday Massacre’, in Northern Ireland Paul McCartney and Wings released ‘Give Ireland Back To The Irish.’ The song was banned by the BBC and the IBA. It peaked at No.16 in the UK and No.21 in the US. 1973 – Neil Young’s film Journey through the Past premiers at the UK Film Festival in Dallas. 1977 – Damned are the first UK punk band to play US. 1977 – During a UK tour Fleetwood Mac played the first of three sold-out nights at the Rainbow Theatre in London. 1979 – Van Halen embark on their first world tour. The band toured for nearly a year, opening for Black Sabbath and establishing a reputation for their performances. At some performances, the Sabbath were booed off stage . 1979 – Aerosmith played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the first night on their 38 date Night In The Rut Tour. 1994 – The Recording Industry Association of America announced that Pink Floyd’s 1973 album Dark Side of the Moon had become the fourth biggest-selling album in US history and had passed the 13 million mark in sales. The album has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide. 1996 – In Lansing, Mich., rocker Ted Nugent gives an archery demonstration. He says the sport is an excellent distraction for kids, as opposed to taking drugs. 1998 – Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood was rescued along with 11 other passengers from a boat off the coast of Brazil after the engine exploded. The boat was exploring the islands near Angra Dos Reis, south of Rio De Janeiro, when one of the boat’s engines caught fire. Passengers were rescued by nearby journalists 2000 – Rage Against The Machine earns fives honors at the 23rd California Music Awards, held at the Bill Graham Auditorium in San Francisco. 2002 – Marilyn Manson denied claims that he was responsible for the death of a woman after a party at his mansion in 2001. Jennifer Syme, a former girlfriend of actor Keanu Reeves, died when her Jeep Cherokee hit three parked cars. Her mother, Maria St John, was suing the singer for wrongful death 2006 – The Rolling Stones play their first-ever concert in China with a gig in Shanghai. 2007 – Kings Of Leon started a two week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Because Of The Times.’ 2010 - Slash Rocks “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”. last night Slash wore a Team Coco pin, a Conan O’Brien support symbol on the air during his performance at the end of the show. 2010 - Former New York Dolls and Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren died of mesothelioma in Switzerland. He was 64 years old.

Friday 7 April 2017

Today in rock history 7th April

1920 – Sitarist Ravi Shankar is born. 1938 - Spencer Dryden-drummer for Jefferson Airplane is born to his parents today. 1962 – Mick Jagger and Keith Richards first meet Brian Jones at an Alexis Korner gig in London. 1969 – John Lennon records “Give Peace a Chance” in his Toronto hotel room. It becomes his first solo single. 1975 – Ritchie Blackmore leaves Deep Purple for the first time. 1981 – Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band begin their first European tour in Hamburg. 1981 – The Who’s former manager Kit Lambert dies after falling down a flight of stairs in London. 1987 – After preacher Oral Roberts informs his TV congregation that God will kill him if he doesn’t raise $1 million in donations, rock funnyman Ozzy Osbourne sends him a dollar to be put toward psychiatric treatment. 1988 – Alice Cooper nearly dies of asphyxiation after a safety rope breaks during a concert stunt where the singer hangs himself. 1990 - Farm Aid IV took place at Indianapolis’ Hoosier Dome 1994 – Courtney Love was arrested on drugs and theft charges after a reported overdose. At this time, Love was unaware that her husband Kurt Cobain was dead at their home. 1995 – Airport police seize a loaded pistol from Eddie Van Halen’s carry-on luggage. No charges are filed against the guitarist. 2003 – Incubus announces that founding bass player Dirk Lance has left the band. 2003 – Jury selection begins in a wrongful death suit brought against Tommy Lee in connection with the 2001 drowning death of a boy at a pool party. 2003 – Avril Lavigne dominated Canada’s national music awards the Junos, winning four prizes including best single, album and new artist. 2004 – Motley Crue’s Vince Neil has a misdemeanor battery case dismissed after he does a 100 hours of community service. Neil was charged after a 2002 scuffle outside a Sunset Strip nightclub. 2005 – Bassist Nicky Wire of Welsh rock trio Manic Street Preachers is given an honorary doctorate from Swansea University while performing onstage at Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall. 2005 – Ozzy and wife Sharon Osbourne announce that their eldest daughter, Aimee, has had surgery after a breast cancer scare. 2008 – Panic At The Disco were at No.1 on the Australian album chart with their second album “Pretty. Odd.” 2010 – Carlos Santana announces he will cover Cream, Deep Purple, Van Halen, Rolling Stones on his upcoming covers album.

Today in rock history 6th April

1963 – Beatles enter UK LP chart for first time with Please Please Me. 1968 – Beatles open their Apple Corporation office at 95 Wigmore Street, London. 1968 – Pink Floyd announce that founding member Syd Barrett has left the group. 1969 – Bassist Pete Quaife announces that he’s quitting the Kinks. 1971 – Rolling Stone Records is formed. 1973 – Queen sign their first recording contract. 1974 – California Jam takes place in LA.. 1984 – Guitarist Steve Van Zandt announces that he’s amicably leaving the E Street Band to pursue solo projects. 1990 – Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee gives himself a concussion after falling from his famed elevated drum kit during a concert in New Haven, Conn. 1992 – To benefit the Natural Law Party, George Harrison plays his first full-length live concert in London since the final Beatles performance in 1969. 1998 – The Plasmatics’ outrageous frontwoman, Wendy O. Williams, 48, commits suicide in the woods behind her home in Connecticut. 1999 – Tipper Gore, co-founder of the Parents’ Music Resource Center, plays congas with Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart at a fund-raiser for her husband, Al. 2000 – The Black Crowes are sued by an Ohio teenager who claims he suffered permanent hearing damage from sitting in the second row of a 1999 concert. 2003 – White Stripes went to No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Elephant’, the duo’s second album. 2004 – Queens of the Stone Age frontman and Eagles of Death Metal drummer Josh Homme is involved in a bar brawl in New York’s East Village. 2007 - Former Kiss guitarist Mark St. John died of a cerebral hemorrhage. He was 51 years old. 2008 – R.E.M. went to No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Accelerate’ the bands fourteenth studio album. 2010 – After 12 years of working on other projects, the Grammy-winning godfathers of grunge are reuniting to rock. Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd are lifting the proverbial lid off Soundgarden and rejoining the “Soundtable.”

Wednesday 5 April 2017

Rock Talk - John Lodge

Part 1 1. Moody Blues - I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band 2. John Lodge - 10,000 light years ago 3. Moody Blues - Voices in the sky 4. Moody BLues - Question 5. Moody Blues - Nights in white satin Part 2 1. Moody Blues - Blue world 2. Moody Blues - The voice 3. Moody Blues - Isn't life strange 4. Justin Hayward & John Lodge - Blue guitar 5. Moody Blues - Go now

Timesweep 8th April

Part 1 A bit of Godliness 1. Jethro Tull - Thick as a brick 2. Judas Priest - Another thing coming 3. Genesis - Tonight tonight tonight 4. Nazareth - My white bicycle 5. Stryper - Calling on you Part 2 1. U2 - I still haven't found what I'm looking for 2. Mike & The Mechanics - Silent running 3. Kiss - God gave rock and roll to you 4. Genesis - Jesus he knows me 5. The Beach Boys - God only knows Part 3 Back to 1970 1. Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4 2. Badfinger - No matter what 3. Black Sabbath - N.I.B Part 4 This week in rock history 1. Lou Reed - Perfect day 2. Van Halen - I can't stop loving you 3. Rolling Stones - Tumbling dice Part 5 1. Don Henley - New York minute 2. Chuck Berry - Johnny B Goode 3. Pete Townshend - Let my love open the door 4. George Harrison - Cheer down Part 6 A look at life 1. Bon Jovi - It's my life 2. George Harrison - What is life 3. Dire Straits - Walk of life Part 7 This week's birthdays 1. Steppenwolf - The pusher 2. Little Feat - Dixie chicken 3. Rainbow - Kill the king 4. Dave Edmunds - Kill the king Part 8 1. Genesis - That's all 2. Van Halen - Panama 3. Billy Idol - Eyes without a face 4. Bryan Adams - Run to you Part 9 A look at death 1. Motorhead - Killed by death 2. Queen - Another one bites the dust 3. Gary Moore & Phil Lynott - Out in the fields 4. Blue Oyster Cult - Don't fear the reaper Part 10 1. Norman Grrenbaum - Spirit in the sky 2. Eric Clapton - Knocking on heaven's door 3. Pink Floyd - The great gig in the sky Part 11 1. The Beatles - Let it be 2. Jethro Tull - Too old to rock and roll, too young to die

Brit Rock 8th April

1. Cream - Strange brew 2. Love - Alone again or 3. Van Morrison - Brown eyed girl 4. Jimi Hendrix - Little wing 5. Eric Burdon - San Franciscan nights 6. Rolling Stones - She's a rainbow 7. Pink Floyd - See Emily play 8. Deep Purple - Burn 9. Led Zeppelin - Black dog 10. The Animals - House of the rising sun 11. Chuck Berry - Big boys 12. Status Quo - Wild side of life 13. Queen - Somebody to love 14. Rolling Stones - Miss you 15. Warren Zevon - Werewolves of London 16. UFO - Only you can rock me 17. Bob Seger - We've got tonight 18. Foreigner - Hot blooded 19. Jackson Browne - Running on empty 20. Blackfoot - Highway song 21. Journey - Lovin', touchin', squeezing' 22. Graham Bonnet - It's all over now baby blue 23. Badfinger - Baby blue 24. T-Rex - Hot love Hour three it's songs from concept alums 1. The Beatles - Golden slumbers 2. The Beatles - Carry that weight 3. The Beatles - The end 4. Small Faces - Ogden's nut gone flake 5. Small Faces - Afterglow of your love 6. Elton John - Funeral for a friend/Love lies bleeding 7. Jeff Wayne - The eve of the war 8. Queen - Death on two legs 9. Pink Floyd - Money 10. The Who - We're not gonna take it 11. The Kinks - Village green preservation society 12. Rush - A passage to Bangkok 13. Beach Boys - Sail on sailor

Today in rock history 5th April

1935 - Peter Grant-manager for Led Zeppelin born in London this day 1942 - Allan Clarke-singer for The Hollies born 1962 – The Beatles performed at the Cavern Club in Liverpool as part of a special night presented by the Beatles’ fan club. 1966 – Born on this day, Mike McCready, guitar, Pearl Jam. 1971 – Rolling Stones leave England and become tax-exiles. 1981 – Bob “The Bear” Hite of Canned Heat dies of a heart attack in Venice, Calif. at the age of 36. 1994 – Kurt Cobain committed suicide in his home in Seattle, Washington. 1998 – Cozy Powell, a British rock drummer who played with Rainbow , ELP and Black Sabbath, dies in a car crash near Bristol. 2001 – David Bowie launches an online radio station, “BowieRadio,” via his BowieNet Web community. 2002 – Layne Staley dies of a drug overdose, eight years to the day after Kurt Cobain committed suicide. The Alice in Chains singer’s body is not found until several days later. 2002 – R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck walks free from court after a London jury acquits him of going on a drunken rampage on a trans-Atlantic flight a year before. 2003 – Carlos Santana attacks Bush and Saddam Hussein at a concert in Melbourne, Australia, announcing, “We are the architects of the world and our agenda is different to Saddam Hussein and George Bush. Dignity and grace are our weapons – unity, salvation and elegance.” 2003 – Limp Bizkit announce they’re change their name to the more compact “limpbizkit.” 2003 – Paul McCartney kicked off the UK leg of his ‘Back In The World Tour’ at Hallam FM Arena a year after it began in America. The set included 22 Beatles songs. 2004 – An L.A. police officer testifies that Courtney Love appeared intoxicated and told him she had taken “hillbilly heroin,” or Oxycontin, the night she was arrested for drugs possession. The ex-Hole singer denies the charges. 2004 – Nirvana fans hold a vigil in Seattle’s Viretta Park on the 10th anniversary of Kurt Cobain’s death. 2005 – Aberdeen, Wash., adds the legend “Come As You Are” to their “Welcome to Aberdeen” sign on the 11th anniversary of Kurt Cobain’s death. 2010 – Slash says ‘Chinese Democracy’ was ‘The perfect Axl record’ 2010 – Guns N’ Roses rocker Axl Rose was left red-faced during a recent concert in Bogota, Colombia – after he slipped and fell onstage during the band’s show.

Tuesday 4 April 2017

Today in rock history April 4th

1913 – Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield) is born in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. 1948 – Berry Oakley (Allman Brothers Band) is born this day 1952 – Robert William Gary Moore, Thin Lizzy guitarist, is born. 1962 – Craig Adams (The Cult) is born. 1965 – John Lennon and Paul McCartney compose “Help!”, the title track to the Beatles’ second film. 1966 – Michael Christopher “Mike” Starr, bassist for Alice in Chains, was born 1967 – Paul McCartney advises Beatles publicist and Monterey Pop Festival organizer Derek Taylor that they should book some guitarist called Jimi Hendrix. 1970 – Janis Joplin plays a reunion concert in San Francisco with her old outfit Big Brother & the Holding Company. 1974 – “Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones” opens as the first film with a quadraphonic soundtrack. 1981 -Styx’s Paradise Theater goes to No. 1. It would become their fourth album in a row to go triple-platinum, setting a new sales record. 1987 – Fleetwood Mac’s Big Love hits UK chart. 1994 – Kurt Cobain’s mother files a missing-persons report on her son. 2000 – Mick Jagger returns to Dartford Grammar School in southeast England to open an arts centre named in his honour. 2002 – Dave Mustaine announces he’s disbanding thrash godfathers Megadeth after developing a compressed radial nerve in his hand that prevents him from playing guitar. 2003 – The mighty Meat Loaf announces his retirement from music following one last world tour. 2003 – The Rolling Stones play their first ever gig in India, rocking Bangalore in the middle of a monsoon before a crowd of 30,000 fans. 2003 – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers debut a new song, “Black Leather Woman,” while guesting on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. 2003 – Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach is sacked from the touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar. 2003 – Elton John calls off his concert with Billy Joel in St. Louis because he feels “unwell.” 2004 – Alanis Morissette appears at the Canadian Juno awards in a nude bodysuit during a skit satirizing American attitudes towards censorship. 2005 – On the welcome sign in Kurt Cobain’s hometown of Aberdeen Washington the township adds “Come As You Are.” 2005 – The reunited Queen perform at Rome’s Palalottomatica, in spite of a request from city officials to postpone their concert out of respect for Pope John Paul II, who died earlier in the week. 2008 – The Cult frontman Ian Astbury says his band won’t be hitting the road with Led Zeppeln if and when the legendary group should decide to spin a full-blown tour out of its recent one-off reunion show. 2009 - The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held in Cleveland for the first time since 1997 at Public Hall. The inductees included Metallica, Jeff Beck & Run-DMC.

Monday 3 April 2017

Today in rock history 3rd April

1943 – Richard Manuel, keyboard player for The Band is born in Stratford, Ontario. 1951 – Mick Mars (Motley Crüe) is born this day in rock. 1967 – Working on The Beatles Sgt Pepper album at Abbey Road studios in London, George Harrison recorded his lead vocal on his song ‘Within You Without You’. 1968 - Sebastian Bach-singer for Skid Row born this day 1969 – Jim Morrison is arrested by the FBI for interstate flight, stemming from obscenity charges lodged after a Miami concert. 1972 – Puerto Rico’s Mar y Sol Festival ends, having run out of its already meager supply of food. Hundreds of Americans who flew to Puerto Rico to see Emerson, Lake & Palmer are stranded at the San Juan airport. 1975 – Steve Miller was charged with setting fire to the clothes of a friend, Benita Diorio. 1978 – B.B. King and lawyer F. Lee Bailey, chairmen of the Foundation for the Advancement of Inmate Rehabilitation and Recreation, visit Boston’s Norfolk Prison. King performs for the cons. 1979 – Kate Bush kicked off the 28-date ‘Tour Of Life’ trek making her concert debut at Liverpool’s Empire Theatre, 1984 – In court, producer Jack Douglas wins $3 million he says is owed him by Yoko Ono for his work on the Lennon/Ono album Double Fantasy. 1989 – 23 people were arrested after several thousand fans without tickets tried to gate-crash a Grateful Dead concert at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 1991- Paul McCartney recorded his unplugged session for MTV. 1991 – Dweezil Zappa and Donny Osmond team up onstage to sing the Bee Gees’ disco hit, “Stayin’ Alive.” 1994 – A forthcoming tour by Nirvana and Hole was cancelled amid continuing speculation about Kurt Cobain’s drug problems. 1996 – Jerry Garcia’s widow, Deborah, and guitarist Bob Weir scatter part of Jerry’s ashes in the Ganges River in India. 2003 – Linkin Park crash into No. 1 with their second album MeteoraOne Heart is the week’s second highest debut, settling at No. 2. 2005 – With three awards, Avril Lavigne leads the pack at Canada’s 34th Annual Juno Awards, held at Winnipeg’s MTS Centre. 2007 – Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards denied that he snorted the ashes of his late father during a drugs binge. 2008 – Scott Weiland’s publicist sent over a statement from the outspoken singer where he fires back at Velvet Revolver’s announcement from Tuesday that they have decided to carry on without him 2008 – Virgin Group Founder and Chairman Sir Richard Branson announced today the headline acts for the third Virgin Mobile Festival, the largest music and arts festival on the East Coast, being held August 9-10 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. The festival headliners are Foo Fighters, Jack Johnson, Kanye West, Nine Inch Nails and Stone Temple Pilots.

Sunday 2 April 2017

Today in rock history 2nd April

1942 – Leon Russell is born in Lawton, Okla. 1946 – Born on this day, Kurt Winter, Guess Who, 1952 – Born on this day, Leon Wilkeson, bass, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1953 – Born on this day, David Robinson, The Cars, 1964 – Beatles: Can’t Buy Me Love UK 45 is no. 1 chart topper. 1965 – The Who made their first radio appearance on the UK BBC’s ‘Joe Loss Pop Show.’ 1967 – The Beatles finish recording the album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The album tops Chart Toppers’s pop album chart for 15 weeks, longer than any Beatles album. 1967 – Steve Winwood leaves the Spencer Davis Group to form his own band, Traffic. 1967 – 154 Austrian Rolling Stones fans were arrested when a riot broke out at a 14,000-seated Town Hall gig; a smoke bomb was thrown on the stage. 1967 – Born on this day, Greg Camp, Smash Mouth, 1968 – Jimi Hendrix appeared at the Paul Suave Arena, Montreal, Canada. 1969 – Bruce Springsteen’s new group Child made their live debut at the Pandemonium Club in Wanamassa, New Jersey. 1970 – Janis Joplin decides to get a tattoo on her wrist and another over her heart reading “One for the Boys.” 1970 – The London Magistrate’s Court is in session to determine whether any of John Lennon’s erotic lithographs are in fact indecent. 1971 – Janis Joplin was at No.1 on the US album charts with ‘Pearl.’ 1977 – Fleetwood Mac went to No.1 on the US album chart with ‘Rumours.’ Also on this day Fleetwood Mac kicked off a 7-date UK tour at the Odeon, Birmingham, 1983 – U2’s War hits US LP chart 1983 – Pink Floyd scored their third UK No.1 album with ‘The Final Cut.’ 1987 – U2 kicked off their 29-date North American Joshua Tree tour at Arizona State Activity Centre. 1990 – Eric Clapton was fined £300 with £10 costs by Walton-on- Thames Magistrates court, after being booked for speeding at 105mph 1990 – Nirvana went into Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin and started work on demo versions of ‘In Bloom’, ‘Dive’, ‘Lithium’, ‘Pay To Play’, ‘Imodium’, ‘Sappy’ and ‘Polly’ with Butch Vig producing. 1993 – A London newspaper reports that Rolling Stone bassist Bill Wyman’s son is engaged to Patsy Smith. The 46-year-old Smith is the mother of Wyman’s ex-wife Mandy. 1998 – Metallica kicked off their 61-date ‘Poor Re-Touring Me Tour’ at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre in Newcastle, Australia. 2004 – Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne tell Larry King that their daughter Kelly has entered rehab to treat an addiction to painkillers. 2006 – Singer Bryan Adams is inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. 2010 Former Motley Crue singer John Corabi has questioned the authenticity of Crue bassist Nikki Sixx’s memoir, “The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star”.