August 17th: On this Day

 

1955, Elvis Presley released his first number 1 hit, ‘I Forgot to Remember to Forget / Mystery Train’. It hit the top of the country charts several months later and stayed there for 5 weeks.

 

 

1960, The Beatles begin their first Hamburg engagement at the Indra Club, Grosse Freiheit, Hamburg, West Germany, playing the first of 48 nights at the Club. The owner, Bruno Koschmider, asked The Beatles to "Mach Shau", or really put on a show, which led to the band screaming, shouting, and leaping about the stage and sometimes playing lying on the floor. John Lennon once appeared wearing only his underwear and on another occasion, wearing a toilet seat around his neck. The Beatles lodged in a single room behind the screen of a nearby movie house.

 

1963, Rory Storm And The Hurricanes, Gus Travis And The Raincoats and Johnny Sandon And The Remo 4 all appeared at the Royal Lido, Prestatyn, Wales, in a Merseybeat package show. Tickets 5 shillings, ($0.70).

 

1965, The Byrds were forced to cancel a concert during their UK tour at The Guildhall, Portsmouth when only 250 of the 4,000 tickets had been sold.

 

1965, during a North American tour The Beatles played two shows at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Canada. The attendance for each show was 18,000.

 

1968, The Doors started a four-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Waiting For The Sun'.

 

1968, The Rascals (formally the Young Rascals), started a five week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'People Got To Be Free'. The group had thirteen US top 40 hits.

 

1969, the final day of the three day Woodstock festival took place at Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, New York. Acts who appeared included Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Ten Years After, John Sebastian, Sha Na Na, Joe Cocker, Country Joe and the Fish, The Band, Ten Years After, Johnny Winter and Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Over 186,000 tickets had been sold but on the first day the flimsy fences and ticket barriers had come down. Organisers announced the concert would be a free event, prompting thousands more to head for the concert. There were two deaths - a teenager was killed by a tractor as he lay in his sleeping bag and another died from a drugs overdose.

 

 

1969, during a North American tour Led Zeppelin appeared at Oakland Musical Theatre in Wallingford, Connecticut.

 

1971, Johnny Cash played the first of 3 nights at The Kings Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester.

 

1971, during a UK tour Queen appeared at the City Hall in Truro, Cornwall.

 

1973, former Temptations singer Paul Williams was found dead in his car, after shooting himself. He owed $80000 in taxes and his celebrity boutique business had failed.

 

1974, Eric Clapton started a four-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with '461 Ocean Boulevard', a No.3 hit in the UK.

 

1974, UK group Paper Lace scored their only US No.1 single with 'The Night Chicago Died', it made No.3 in the UK.

 

1979, The New York post reported that Anita Pallenberg (the wife of Keith Richards) was linked to a witches coven in South Salem, New York where Richards owned a house. A policeman claimed he was attacked by a flock of black-hooded, caped people and a local youth claimed he had been invited by Pallenburg to take part in ‘pot smoking sex orgies’. Locals also claimed they found ‘ritualistic stakes’ and small animals that had been ‘sacrificed’ near the house.

 

1987, session drummer Gary Chester died of cancer. He had been a member of The Coasters and played on many major hits for other acts including: 'Brown Eyed Girl' 'Under The Boardwalk' 'Walk On By', 'It's My Party.'

 

1988, Sweet announced they were reforming after a £1 & half million offer from MCA Records.

 

1991, Nirvana shot the video for ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ at GMT Studios in Culver City, California, costing less than $50,000 to make, the shoot features real Nirvana fans as the audience.

 

 

1995, Depeche Mode singer Dave Gahan was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre after an apparent suicide attempt. Police had found him at his Los Angeles home with a two-inch laceration on his wrist.

 

 

1997, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony started a three-week run at No.1 on the US album chart.

 

1998, Carlos Santana received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

 

1999, former Bay City Rollers drummer Derek Longmuir appeared at the Edinburgh Sheriff Court accused of child porn and drugs offences. Longmuir, 48, denied the charges. He was later sentenced to 300 hours community service.

 

 

1999, Led Zeppelin topped a chart of Britain's most bootlegged musicians, compiled by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), after identifying 384 bootleg titles featuring Led Zeppelin performances. The bootleg chart was complied from the BPI's archive of some 10,000 recordings seized over the past 25 years. The Beatles, came in second with 320 entries, other acts listed included The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd.

 

 

 

 

 

August 17th: Born on this day

 

1944, Born on this day, John Seiter, Spanky And Our Gang, (1967 US No.9 single 'Sunday Will Never Be The Same Again').

 

1947, Born on this day, Gary Talley guitar, The Box Tops, (1967 US No.1 & UK No.5 single 'The Letter').

 

 

1949, Born on this day, Sib Hashian, drums, Boston, (1977 UK No.22 single 'More Than A Feeling', 1986 US No.1 single 'Amanda').

 

1953, Born on this day, Kevin Rowland, singer, Dexy's Midnight Runners, (1982 UK No.1 & 1983 US No.1 single 'Come On Eileen'). Solo 1986 UK No.13 single 'Because Of You').

 

 

1955, Born on this day, Colin Moulding, bass, XTC, (1982 UK No.10 single 'Senses Working Overtime').

 

 

1958, Born on this day, Belinda Carlisle, singer, The Go-Go's, (1982 US No.2 single 'We Got The Beat', 1982 UK No.47 single 'Our Lips Are Sealed') and solo, (1987 US & UK No.1 single 'Heaven Is A Place On Earth').

 

 

1962, Born on this day, Gilby Clarke, guitarist, spent 3 years as the rhythm guitarist of Guns N' Roses, replacing Izzy Stradlin in November 1991.

 

1964, Born on this day, Maria Mckee, singer, Lone Justice (1987 UK No.45 single 'I Found Out'), solo, (1990 UK No.1 single 'Show Me Heaven').

 

1965, Born on this day, Steve Gorman, drums, The Black Crowes, (1991 UK No.39 single 'Hard To Handle', 1992 US No.1 & UK No.2 album 'The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion').

 

 

1966, Born on this day, Jill Cunniff, Luscious Jackson, singer, (1997 UK No.25 single 'Naked Eye').

 

1969, Born on this day, Donnie Wahlberg, New Kids On The Block, (1989 UK No.1 single 'You Got It, The Right Stuff', 1990 US No.1 single 'Step By Step')

 

1969, Born on this day, Kelvin Mercer, De La Soul, (1990 UK No.7 single 'The Magic Number').

 

1977, Born on this day, Claire Richards, vocals, Steps, (1998 UK No.1 single 'Heartbeat, Tragedy').

 

1979, Born on this day, Mike Lewis, guitarist, Lostprophets, (2004 UK No.8 single ‘Last Train Home’, 2006 UK No.1 album ‘Liberation Transmission’).

 

Here are the Births, Deaths and Events this week in Rock 'n' Roll History

 

Sunday August 16

 

* The late Barbara George ("I Know") is born in 1942

* The late Ernie Freeman ("Raunchy") is born in 1922

* Eydie Gorme ("Blame It On The Bossa Nova") is 78

* Ketty Lester ("Love Letters") is 75

* Fess Parker ("Ballad Of Davy Crockett") is 82

* The late Al Hibbler ("Unchained Melody") is born in 1915

* Gary Loizzo of the American Breed ("Bend Me, Shape Me") is 64

* Elvis Presley dies of a heart attack at Graceland mansion in Memphis, 1977

* Paul Simon marries actress Carrie Fisher (it lasts eight months), 1983

* Drummer Pete Best is fired by the Beatles, 1962

* Peter Gabriel leaves Genesis, 1975

* Dave Clark Five vocalist Mike Smith is pulled off the stage by fans in Chicago, breaking two ribs, 1965

* Beach Boy Brian Wilson performs in concert for the first time with his daughters, Carnie and Wendy Williams (of Wilson Phillips), 1995

* Buddy Holly and the Crickets play the Apollo Theatre in Harlem and are booed (it takes three days to win over the audience), 1957

* The Guess Who receive their first American gold record (for "These Eyes"), 1969

* "The Debbie Reynolds Show" TV sitcom premieres on CBS (it runs one season), 1969

* Ricky Nelson records "Be-Bop Baby", 1957

* The Everly Brothers record "Wake Up Little Susie", 1957

* Colgems Records releases the Monkees' first single, "Last Train To Clarksville", 1966

 

Monday August 17

 

* The late Mark Dinning ("Teen Angel") is born in 1933

* The late Georgia Gibbs ("Tweedle Dee") is born in 1919

* Paul Williams of the Temptations ("My Girl") dies of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, in Detroit, 1973

* John Phillips of the Mamas & the Papas is arrested as part of a drug ring, 1980

* Wayne Newton files for bankruptcy, owing $20 million, 1992

* Gladys Knight appears on ABC-TV's "Dating Game", 1972

* The Beatles perform for the first time outside England-- at the Indra Club in Hamburg, Germany, 1960

* Microsoft buys the rights to use the Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up" to advertise their Windows 95 software, 1995

* A riot breaks out at a Gary "U.S." Bonds concert in Boston, 1962

* Gary Puckett & the Union Gap record "Woman Woman", 1967

* The Hollies record "Stop, Stop, Stop", 1966

 

Tuesday August 18

 

* Johnny Preston ("Cradle Of Love") is 70

* The late Sonny Til of the Orioles ("Crying In The Chapel") is born in 1925

* Pervis Jackson of the Spinners ("Rubberband Man") dies of cancer, 2008

* Melvin Franklin of the Temptations is shot four times in a Detroit carjacking (but survives), 1978

* Ringo Starr officially joins the Beatles at a Cavern Club concert in Liverpool, 1962

* Ann-Margret and James Brown are among those attending Elvis Presley's funeral in Memphis, 1977

* Mick Jagger is accidentally shot while filming the movie "Ned Kelly" in Australia, 1969

* Peter Noone of Hermans Hermits conducts a radio interview with Elvis Presley in Honolulu, where the King is filming "Paradise, Hawaiian Style", 1965

* Elvis Presley's first post-Army movie, "G.I. Blues" is sneak previewed in Dallas (it officially opens three months later), 1960

* Dionne Warwick and the Carpenters guest on "The 5th Dimension Travelling Sunshine Show" special on ABC-TV, 1971

* Bobby Darin records "Lazy River" and "Artificial Flowers", 1960

 

Wednesday August 19

 

* Billy J. Kramer ("Bad To Me") is 66

* Johnny Nash ("I Can See Clearly Now") is 69

* Don Fardon ("Indian Reservation") is 66

* Ginger Baker of Cream ("Sunshine Of Your Love") is 69

* Betty Everett ("The Shoop Shoop Song") dies in 2001

* Dorsey Burnett ("Tall Oak Tree" and brother of Johnny) dies of a heart attack, 1979

* Wayne Wadhams, lead singer of the Fifth Estate ("Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead") dies, 2008

* Rita Coolidge and Kris Kristofferson marry (it lasts seven years), 1973

* Ringo Starr's second son, Jason is born in 1967

* Gary Glitter is released from a Vietnamese prison after serving nearly three years for molesting two young children (he is eventually sent back to England after first refusing to board a plane in Thailand and taking a side trip to Hong Kong), 2008

* Pat Boone appears on the cover of Newsweek magazine, 1957

* A riot breaks out after Alice Cooper cancels a Toronto concert due to an asthma attack, 1980

* The final "Monkees" TV show airs on NBC, 1968

* Sandy Posey records "Single Girl", 1966

 

Thursday August 20

 

* The late Isaac Hayes ("Theme From Shaft") is born in 1942

* The late Jim Reeves ("He'll Have To Go") is born in 1924

* Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin ("Black Dog") is 61

* Rod Stewart and his wife, Alana Hamilton, become the parents of a daughter (also named Alana), 1979

* Vikki Carr gives birth to her son, Michael, 1979

* Bobby Darin sells his music publishing company for a million dollars, 1968

* Carlos Santana gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, 1996

* Producer Phil Spector takes out an ad in Billboard magazine honoring the late comedian Lenny Bruce, noting that Lenny "died from an overdose of police", 1966

* Filming begins on the movie "Where The Boys Are", with Connie Francis, 1960

* John Lennon begins recording his final album, "Double Fantasy", 1980

* Shirley Bassey records "Goldfinger", 1964

 

Friday August 21

 

* Jackie DeShannon ("What The World Needs Now") is 65

* Kenny Rogers ("Reuben James") is 71

* Carl Giammarese of the Buckinghams ("Don't You Care") is 62

* Los Angeles police raid Michael Jackson's Neverland estate looking for evidence of child abuse, 1993

* Grace Slick is maced as the Jefferson Starship scuffle onstage with Akron, Ohio police, 1972

* Rick James is released from prison after serving two years for assault, 1996

* Leo Sayer judges the Miss Nude Sydney (Australia) Pageant, 2008

* Linda Ronstadt opens on Broadway in "The Pirates of Penzance", 1980

* African and Carribean stamps are issued honoring American girl groups, 2002

* Ricky Nelson records "Lonesome Town" in 1958

* Patsy Cline records "Crazy", 1961

 

Saturday August 22

 

* Dale Hawkins ("Susie-Q") is 71

* Ron Dante (voice of the Detergents-- "Leader Of The Laundromat", the Cuff Links-- "Tracy" and the Archies-- "Sugar Sugar") is 64

* The late Sam Neely ("Loving You Just Crossed My Mind") is born in 1949

* The late John Lee Hooker ("Boom Boom") is born in 1917

* David Marks of the Beach Boys ("Little Deuce Coupe") is 61

* Cynthia Lennon files for divorce from John on the eve of their sixth wedding anniversary, 1968

* Elton John signs with Uni Records, 1970

* Augusta, Georgia renames their Civic Center after native son James Brown, 2008

* Rick Nelson and Fats Domino film a TV special in Los Angeles (his death causes PBS to postpone its scheduled January airing), 1985

* PBS-TV airs a documentary entitled, "Aretha Franklin-- Queen of Soul", 1988

* The Beatles are captured on film for the first time, by Grenada TV, at Liverpool's Hamburg Club, 1962

* Elvis Presley begins filming his first movie, "The Reno Brothers" (soon to be re-named "Love Me Tender"), 1956

* The film "The Girl Can't Help It" (with Fats Domino, Little Richard and Gene Vincent) debuts in Hollywood, 1956